"What Emma Raducanu says is very dangerous" - Fans shocked as Brit addresses being forced to take extreme measures to avoid accidental doping

Tennis fans were left shocked after Emma Raducanu addressed being forced to take extreme measures to avoid accidental doping.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), the organization that is responsible for safeguarding the integrity of tennis players, imposed bans on several players including Iga Swiatek and Simona Halep in the past. Although the ITIA accused the players of consuming banned substances, most cases divulged that the doping was accidental, having entered the body through medications.

On that note, professional tennis players have now become extra cautious about what they eat and apply topically. In a press conference at the Australian Open on Friday, Emma Raducanu maintained that she remained "sensitive" regarding her diet and medications. She also reflected on the players' "struggle to try and prove" their innocence if they accidentally tested positive.

"I would say all of us are probably quite sensitive to what we take onboard, what we use," Raducanu said.

"It's obviously a concern on our mind. We're all in the same boat. I think it's just how we manage as best as we can the controllables. If something out of our control happens, then it's going to be a bit of a struggle to try and prove," she added.

Taking to social media, fans reciprocated Raducanu's sentiments as they expressed concerns about athletes refusing to take medications due to contamination fears.

"What she says is very dangerous. Basically, athletes will refuse to take medication if they get sick for fear of being contaminated!! It’s anything but normal," a fan said.

"The level of attention required from athletes is too high. The fight against doping should be done without ruining their lives. The minimum threshold allowed following accidental contamination should be raised," another fan said.

"This is sad. People are getting sick and afraid to take medication out of fear it may contain a banned substance," one fan said.

A few other fans marked their discontent at the strict rules implemented by the ITIA which puts the health of the players at risk.

"I feel sorry for all tennis players, these rules are terribly rigorous," one fan said.

"So the system is asking them to die rather than cure itself. if you think is ok, OK," another fan said.

"This is getting out of hand...," one fan said.

The ITIA imposed a one-month ban on Swiatek after she tested positive for trimetazidine. Meanwhile, Halep was presented with a four-year ban, which was later reduced to nine months.

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Emma Raducanu delighted to have appointed a new strength and conditioning coach amid fitness issues

Emma Raducanu during a practice session at the 2025 Australian Open (Source: Getty)

Emma Raducanu was forced to withdraw and retire from several tournaments during the course of her career due to injuries.

Amid back-to-back injury concerns, Raducanu made a major change to her fitness regime as she appointed a new strength and conditioning coach Yutaka Nakamura in December last year. Ahead of the 2025 Australian Open, the Brit reflected on the positive impact that Nakamura has imposed on her fitness.

"I think having him in my camp has been a really good addition. He's helped me a lot just in terms of microdosing bits the fitness here and there throughout the day, tapering and managing my loads. I'm someone who is always going to want to push more, train more, do more. Sometimes actually having him to adapt the exercises or pull me back has been helpful," Emma Raducanu said during a press conference.

Emma Raducanu will commence her campaign at the Melbourne Major with a first-round clash against Ekaterina Alexandrova on Tuesday, January 14. This will be their first meeting on the tour and hence the head-to-head stands at 0-0.