Australian Tennis Player Thomas Fancutt Banned for IV Infusion Violation

Australian doubles tennis player Thomas Fancutt was intercepted by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) following his first Grand Slam appearance at the 2025 Australian Open. He was questioned regarding suspected doping and subsequently banned for two years due to exceeding permitted intravenous (IV) infusion limits.

The Violation and Anti-Doping Rules

The violation occurred after Fancutt posted a video showing himself on a 500-millilitre IV drip containing Vitamin B, Vitamin C, and magnesium. Regulations set by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme (TADP) permit a maximum dosage of 100 millilitres of fluid intravenously within a 12-hour period.

Fancutt stated he took the infusion to manage exhaustion, claiming he was unaware it would lead to a doping violation and that he received no performance benefit.

Appeal and Reduced Suspension

Fancutt appealed the initial two-year ban. The ITIA reduced the suspension to 10 months, accepting that the violation was not intentional. During his ban, Fancutt was unable to access facilities insured by Tennis Australia and was restricted from attending tournaments.

Understanding IV Restrictions

Chris Butler, head of anti-doping operations at Sport Integrity Australia (SIA), explained the rationale behind the strict IV regulations.

IV infusions exceeding 100 millilitres are prohibited because they can potentially mask performance-enhancing drugs or distort an athlete's biological passport profile.

Both the ITIA and SIA emphasize that athletes bear sole responsibility for adhering to anti-doping rules.

Broader Anti-Doping Landscape

In 2024, the ITIA tested over 9,000 players, resulting in six sanctions under the Tennis Anti-Doping Program. Notable cases included Jannik Sinner, who received a three-month ban for testing positive for Clostebol from an over-the-counter spray, and Iga Świątek, who received a one-month ban for Trimetazidine taken for jet lag.

Return to the Court

Following his 10-month suspension, Thomas Fancutt has returned to professional tennis. He has documented his journey on social media and has recently won the semi-professional Tweed Open and Brisbane's Churchie Open as a wildcard entrant, marking a successful return to competition.