CAS reject Canas appeal

The Court of Arbitration for Sport again reached the same conclusion as it's earlier verdict - that Canas had committed a doping violation but that his negligence was "not significant".

The Lausanne-based court was forced to reconsider Canas' case after the Swiss Federal Tribunal annulled the original 15-month ban, arguing that the court had disregarded the player's right to be heard during discussions over new evidence.

Canas tested positive for the banned diuretic hydrochlorothiazide (HCT) but said he had ingested the

substance in error after receiving medication from a tournament doctor intended for another player's coach.

CAS accepted Canas' version of events but noted that he "took the medication he received with no review whatsoever of the contents of the box, even though he knew that the medication had been through several hands before being delivered to him".

Canas, who was originally handed a two-year ban by the ATP's anti-doping tribunal, is currently ranked 22nd in the world.

The former world number eight dropped out of the top 500 during his forced time-out but has fought back with some impressive performances this year.

In February he celebrated his first ATP tournament win since the ban, with victory in Costa Do Sauipe, Brazil.

He also reached the finals of the Masters Series tournament in Miami in March, beating world number one Roger Federer for the second straight event in his run, and the ATP tournament in Barcelona the following month.

REUTERS