{"id":2062685,"date":"2026-07-26T14:30:56","date_gmt":"2026-07-26T11:30:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2062685"},"modified":"2026-07-26T14:30:56","modified_gmt":"2026-07-26T11:30:56","slug":"should-weight-loss-drugs-be-banned-after-serena-williams-comeback-tennis-chiefs-speaks-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2062685","title":{"rendered":"Should weight loss drugs be banned after Serena Williams&#8217; comeback? Tennis chiefs speaks out"},"content":{"rendered":"<article class=\"ps-article-content rounded-lg lg:mt-5 lg:border lg:border-card lg:bg-card lg:shadow-primary\">\n<header>\n<h1 class=\"py-4 text-xl font-normal text-title sm:text-2xl\">Should weight loss drugs be banned after Serena Williams\u2019 comeback? Tennis chiefs speaks out<\/h1>\n<div class=\"my-2 flex items-center justify-between\">\n<div class=\"flex items-center\">\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/author\/kevin-palmer\" class=\"text-sm font-normal !text-author\"><br \/>\n                            Kevin Palmer                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <time class=\"ml-3 text-sm font-normal text-info md:ml-4\" datetime=\"26 Jul 2026 3:30 PM\" data-ps-date=\"26 Jul 2026 3:30 PM\" data-ps-datetime=\"1785076256\"><br \/>\n                            26 Jul 2026 3:30 PM                        <\/time>\n                    <\/div>\n<div class=\"hidden justify-end space-x-4 text-xl sm:flex sm:!opacity-100\">\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/google.com\/preferences\/source?q=tennis365.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"><br \/>\n                            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"mx-auto !my-0 hidden dark:block h-6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/content\/themes\/tennis365-sportsui\/img\/png\/preferred_source_badge_dark.png\" alt=\"Add as a preferred source on Google\" width=\"76\" height=\"24\"><br \/>\n                            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"mx-auto !my-0 dark:hidden h-6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/content\/themes\/tennis365-sportsui\/img\/png\/preferred_source_badge_light.png\" alt=\"Add as a preferred source on Google\" width=\"76\" height=\"24\"><br \/>\n                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-news\/serena-williams-weight-loss-drug-banned-tennis-adhd\" class=\"!text-info hover:!text-brand\" aria-label=\"Share to facebook\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tennis365.com%2Ftennis-news%2Fserena-williams-weight-loss-drug-banned-tennis-adhd\" class=\"!text-info hover:!text-brand\" aria-label=\"Share to twitter\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tennis365.com%2Ftennis-news%2Fserena-williams-weight-loss-drug-banned-tennis-adhd\" class=\"!text-info hover:!text-brand\" aria-label=\"Share to linkedin\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <a class=\"!text-info hover:!text-brand\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/\/send\/?text=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tennis365.com%2Ftennis-news%2Fserena-williams-weight-loss-drug-banned-tennis-adhd\" aria-label=\"Share to whatsapp\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <a class=\"!text-info hover:!text-brand\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/share.flipboard.com\/bookmarklet\/popout?v=2&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tennis365.com%2Ftennis-news%2Fserena-williams-weight-loss-drug-banned-tennis-adhd\" aria-label=\"Share to flipboard\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n<div class=\"sm:hidden flex items-center space-x-5\">\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/google.com\/preferences\/source?q=tennis365.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"><br \/>\n                            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"mx-auto !my-0 hidden dark:block h-6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/content\/themes\/tennis365-sportsui\/img\/png\/preferred_source_badge_dark.png\" alt=\"Add as a preferred source on Google\" width=\"76\" height=\"24\"><br \/>\n                            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"mx-auto !my-0 dark:hidden h-6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/content\/themes\/tennis365-sportsui\/img\/png\/preferred_source_badge_light.png\" alt=\"Add as a preferred source on Google\" width=\"76\" height=\"24\"><br \/>\n                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <button id=\"t365-article-share-btn-hidden\" class=\"mr-2 hidden h-6 w-6 appearance-none border-none !text-share-icon outline-none hover:!text-share-icon-active sm:hidden\" data-title=\"Should weight loss drugs be banned after Serena Williams\u2019 comeback? Tennis chiefs speaks out\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/button>\n                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"-mx-3 sm:-mx-5 border-b border-page\"><\/div>\n<section>\n<div class=\"-mx-3 sm:-mx-5\">\n<figure class=\"aspect-h-9 aspect-w-16 relative\">\n                                        <img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1320\" height=\"742\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"w-full h-full object-cover object-center !my-0\" src=\"https:\/\/d2me2qg8dfiw8u.cloudfront.net\/content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Serena-Williams-reacts-during-a-match-1320x742.jpg\" alt=\"Pictured: Serena Williams reacts during a match\">                <\/figure><figcaption class=\"flex items-center space-x-3 border-b border-mobile-caption px-3 lg:border-caption\">\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"my-1.5 break-words !text-xs !text-content\">\n                                Serena Williams reacts during a match                            <\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<div class=\"ciam-article-t365\"><!-- Article Start --><\/p>\n<p>Does tennis have a problem with players abusing ADHD drugs and should weight loss drugs be permitted in the sport?<\/p>\n<p>They are debates that have been rumbling around the rumour mill in tennis for some time, with many involved in tennis suggesting numerous players are claiming therapeutic use exemptions (TUE) to allow them to use ADHD drugs like<\/p>\n<p>Former top-10 professional tennis player Fernando Verdasco accepted a voluntary provisional doping suspension of two months back in 2022 after testing positive for a medication for ADHD, the International Tennis Integrity Agency announced Wednesday.<\/p>\n<p>Verdasco said he was taking methylphenidate as medication prescribed by his doctor to treat ADHD but forgot to renew his therapeutic use exemption for the drug. The integrity agency said Verdasco has been granted an exemption by the World Anti-Doping Agency moving forward.<\/p>\n<p>Rumours have suggested Verdasco\u2019s story is just the tip of a large iceberg, with ADHD drugs helping to \u2018enhance your ability to focus, plan, and regulate impulses while reducing hyperactivity\u2019.<\/p>\n<h2>More Tennis News<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-news\/carlos-alcaraz-serena-williams-alex-eala-jannik-sinner-usopen-mixed-doubles\">US Open Mixed Doubles dream teams \u2013 Alcaraz, Serena, Eala &amp; Sinner in the mix next month<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-news\/serena-williams-comeback-usopen-next-tournament\">Serena Williams is set to reveal comeback plans and they might surprise her doubters<\/a><\/p>\n<p>All of those impacts could have a positive and performance-enhancing impact on tennis players, with the debate over whether ADHS drugs are being used by players who may not need them medically underway.<\/p>\n<p>This question was put to Karren Moorhouse, CEO of the ITIA, as she appeared on the latest episode of the <a rel=\"noopener nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=JgytgLAoM0U\">Off Court with Greg Rusedski podcast.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think there\u2019s this kind of view within the sport that lots and lots of players are on ADHD medication. That\u2019s absolutely not the case,\u201d declared Moorhouse.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd actually, particularly with ADHD, the process for getting a TUE involves getting, I think it\u2019s two experts to confirm that diagnosis. So again, making sure that that is really carefully managed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have a TUE committee and they are tasked with looking at the applications and there\u2019s understandably quite a thorough process that is gone through for that because again, it comes back to the level playing field.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe starting point is about protecting athletes\u2019 health. So we need to have a system that enables players to take what they need to protect their health. Equally, that needs to be balanced in making sure that that is not abused and people are not taking things to enhance their performance. So there is a thorough process and the right experts who are involved in that process.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Want more from Tennis365? Add us as <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=tennis365.com\" target=\"_blank\">a preferred source on Google to your favourites list<\/a> for tennis coverage you can trust.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Moorhouse also addressed the issue of weight loss drugs, with the issue heightened following <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tag\/serena-williams\">Serena Williams\u2019<\/a> decision to return to tennis for the grass court season in June.<\/p>\n<p>Williams revealed she has been using weight loss drugs since the birth of her second child, but no one questioned that decision until she returned to professional tennis.<\/p>\n<p>Many have questioned whether losing weight using drugs that are currently not on any banned doping list is fair, with Moorhouse confirming the situation is under review.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think it\u2019s a really interesting area and look we again, we look to WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency), who set this list across all sports.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think it\u2019s absolutely right and proper that they\u2019re looking at them because all of us who are not scientists look into it. For some sports, there might be a benefit there, but we will follow WADA\u2019s lead and the expertise that they have on that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The debate over weight loss drugs may soon end if WADA and the ITIA confirm they are no longer permitted in professional tennis.<\/p>\n<p><strong>READ MORE: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-news\/serena-williams-reveals-what-she-loves-about-aryna-sabalenka\">Serena Williams reveals what she \u2018loves\u2019 about Aryna Sabalenka<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><!-- Article End --><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Should weight loss drugs be banned after Serena Williams\u2019 comeback? Tennis chiefs speaks out Kevin Palmer 26 Jul 2026 3:30 PM Serena Williams reacts during a match Does tennis have a problem with players abusing ADHD drugs and should weight loss drugs be permitted in the sport? They are debates that have been rumbling around [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,249],"class_list":["post-2062685","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-tennis365-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2062685","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2062685"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2062685\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2062685"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2062685"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2062685"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}