For The Good Of The Game?

In our first post of the year and at the start of the tennis season we reported on rumblings that the rankings and appearance schedules were uncertain. We pointed out the less than timely arrival of Serena Williams at the Wegman. Then two days after that post, bam!--the International Tennis Federation (ITF) banned former #1 ranked player Martina Hingis for testing positive for cocaine use at Wimbledon last year--an event she won at age 16.

Then Roger Federer and Justine Henin were ranked #1 going into the Australia Open. They were both eliminated early in surprise upsets, leaving the door open for new talent. Plus, there was an early exit by defending champ Serena Williams. As if all this wasn't contrary to conventional wisdom, the men's finish of the Australia Open was as dramatic as it could be.

There is no doubt that there is a lot of talent out there this season, and equally clear no rankings or play is predictable at this point as we pointed out. But, wait a minute, in all the action we just described, what is this about the 2-year ban on Hingis? Looking at this subject from what is happening in other sports, this action seemed deserved, definitive and swift. But, was it for the good of the game?

When you have a proven champion who falls of the track, is punishment the best measure of enforcement? Do our champions not deserve our help? We are not condoning Hingis' addictions in any way. We just think that the USTA should have a process that includes giving a champion the help she needs to get back to a normal life.

This is not a matter one-upmanship among major sports organizations, i.e. the ITF is more effective than MLB or the NFL at establishing and enforcing drug and doping rules. It's about the human toll that drugs are exacting on our athletes and what we should do to help them recover, especially those who have brought millions of dollars to the sport throught their play and popularity.

So, let's be human and temper the dismissal with a mandatory recovery program. At least the effort to appear loyal would make the organization seem more human, and preserve some of the good will that fans of the sport felt toward the transgressors like Hingis. It will be better for the game, and the players.

We wish Martina well and hope someone gives her the help she needs.