Argentine Renzo Olivo claims the ATP was informed about contaminated meat at the event when a player failed a doping test

It was reported that players accidentally ate tainted meat at a Challenger event where a doping test was negative and the ATP was informed in advance.

Argentine Renzo Olivo said on social media that he saw competitors consuming the dish at the Ibagué Open in June.

The tournament, played on clay in Colombia, had a warning in place and players were alerted to tainted meat before they arrived. Olivo, who was previously ranked 78th in the world, claims he informed the ATP and asked them to send a warning to all participants in the event.

Brazilian athlete Nicolas Zanellato, 22, was given a suspended sentence earlier this week after testing positive for boldenone in two separate tests.

He then appealed to the ITIA, which concluded that the “evidence presented was far below the minimum required.”

Zanellato is currently prohibited from competing or coaching in Tour events until he has served his suspension or his appeal is successful before an impartial tribunal. The hearing will take place at some point, but no timetable has been set.

“I played in the same tournament where his (Zanellato) tested positive and I had to go to the coach and tell him to send an email to the players not to eat meat because there were players who didn't know about it and I saw some of them eating meat,” Olivo wrote on X.

“What did the supervisor say to me? 'Ah, you're right, we have to send it.' Too late! Besides, it's a substance that doesn't provide any sporting advantage.”

“The news is made public and then there is an appeal; that is the normal procedure. There is no appeal before publication.”

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Boldenone is a synthetic derivative of testosterone, an anabolic androgenic steroid.

It is classified as an anabolic androgenic steroid in S1 of the 2023 Prohibited List of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

Colombian former Grand Slam doubles champion Robert Farah tested positive for the same chemical in 2020, but was able to prove that contaminated meat was the cause of his test failure.

So far, the ATP has not responded to Olivio’s claim.

In light of the Jannik Sinner debacle, many fans have questioned the ATP and the ITIA about this incident and numerous experts and former players believe that the players were set up to involve them in a doping scandal.

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