Nick Kyrgios has been cleared to return to tennis starting Friday, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced Thursday. Kyrgios was suspended from playing last month after testing positive for cocaine in June.
According to the ITIA, Kyrgios received a provisional suspension for the violation for one month after he took the prescribed drug out of competition. Kyrgios was able to reduce his suspension from three months to one month by committing to an ITIA-approved treatment program.
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While competing in an ATP event in Mallorca, Spain, in June, Kyrgios’ sample tested positive for benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine. Cocaine was banned in tennis, as the 31-year-old was against a four-year ban for a violation.
Kyrgios told ITIA investigators that he had used cocaine the night before he went to play in Mallorca. The agency said it confirmed the story with an independent scientific expert, who said the amount of cocaine found on Kyrgios’ was consistent with the explanation.
His provisional suspension began Aug. 4. ITIA says its suspension will officially end Thursday. The prize money from the tournament in Mallorca, in which Kyrgios exited in the Round of 32, will be forfeited, according to the agency.
After ITIA announced Kyrgios’ suspension on Aug. 19, the Australian confirmed the suspension in a message on Instagram, saying he had made a “huge mistake” and apologized to his fans, family, sponsors and those who look up to him.
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“I know this sets an example and I am very disappointed in myself,” he wrote.
Kyrgios is ranked No. 13 in the ATP rankings in 2016, with his last significant Grand Slam appearance coming in 2022.
Various injuries have kept him out of a lot of places throughout the past ATP seasons, and he only appeared in a handful of major tournaments last year.