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BNP PARIBAS MASTERSOctober 28, 2013Marin CilicPARIS, FRANCE M. CILIC/I. Sijsling THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. How did you feel today on the court and how satisfied are you with this win? MARIN CILIC: I felt like a kid playing for the first time tennis. And I would say the feeling was amazing just to be back on the court, to be competing, and I enjoyed every moment on the court. My thoughts were just on the things that ‑‑ how much I am enjoying and how I am happy to be back on the court. With the game, of course, I'm extremely satisfied, as I haven't played any match since Wimbledon. So it's great feeling to win again. Of course, when you are coming back it's never easy. You are making sometimes some errors that you wouldn't make, but that's normal feeling. I'm just extremely satisfied. I can feel that things I worked in this time that I haven't been playing are working really well. They are fitting into my game, especially the serve, for which I'm extremely grateful to Goran in some ways. I mean, with his advices and everything I think we found the great balance for my serve. I think it's working extremely well. Q. I know you have talked about it already, but could you tell us again what you have been through, what sort of a nightmare it was, and what sort of relief it was to know that in the end you would play tournaments this season? MARIN CILIC: Yeah, I would definitely say it was the worst time of my life to experience this as a player. And as I been, I mean, on the tour for six, seven years, and have been always really careful and really honest and fair as much as I could with all the other players. And then to be in that kind of situation where‑‑ when I found out about the positive test, and then also the media started to write and it was extremely difficult situations where people were even calling me a doping player and a cheater. So from one day to the other, it was a complete turnaround. I mean, in those first parts of the process was definitely very difficult, as I didn't know what to expect, what is coming, and I have been reading a lot about all the other cases that have been. When you are in that kind of situation, you can't win. It's definitely a battle where you're just trying to maybe get the thing that you are going to be satisfied with, but in the end, it's a difficult margin what you are going to be satisfied with. At the first part there were agreements, which is normal procedure, and I haven't been able to find an agreement with the ITF what they were offering for my sanction. From one side it's also very difficult that you accept some suspension on your own, that you give yourself a sanction which you think would be appropriate. Definitely at that moment I knew I didn't cheated, and the most important, I haven't taken anybody's prize money and I haven't beat anybody in that tournament. And plus, there was no effect from that prohibited substance, which actually wasn't found in my system. That was also one part that shocked me the most, when I found out after the first hearing that was in September, 13th of September in London. And you can see also definitely on ITF website with the press release from the international antidoping tribunal where they charged me that I had a prohibited substance of nikethamide in my system, but that was not correct. I found out about that a few days later, after the first hearing, unfortunately. But that was‑‑ I think that solved basically the case in the end. So that was, for me, extremely big shock just to see that ITF, even in the first notification to me, they told me that I'm positive to a substance that they haven't found in my system. They told me (indiscernible) definitely. And I don't know, either it was a mistake or negligence from somebody, but definitely could have been huge impact on me. If I wouldn't have find out, maybe I wouldn't be here today. Maybe I wouldn't and maybe I wouldn't be on the court until who knows when? For me, that was ‑‑I mean, the worst part from all, just to understand this. And I haven't received any explanation from that. I don't know how it happened that they told me about that, where in the end the only part that was found in my system was the metabolite from nikethamide, which is completely inactive, and it's process is only to show that this substance was at some time before in my system. And especially out of competition when this substance is completely allowed and also that it didn't have any effect, so they all agreed on that. It wasn't necessary even to prove anything with that, because I stopped to take these tablets that were containing this prohibited substance five days before the tournament and five days before my first match. These substances only has effect from between 12 and 24 hours. So, and then after, to be in a situation where‑‑ to be in a position where the ITF and with their lawyers there, they were putting me in the same position as most of the other athletes or players that were met with extremely high sanctions and where they‑‑ I mean, everybody agreed that it didn't have any effect. This substance was completely inactive. I haven't taken anybody's prize money. I haven't beaten anyone. I didn't hurt anybody with this except myself. And then just to be in that situation where they are asking a sanction from 24 months, it's extremely harsh. Then understanding again that they told me inaccurately for that prohibited substance. Q. Just to be clear, then, has this emerged since September the 13th that your test was not accurate? MARIN CILIC: Yes. You can see on the decision from CAS, which was on Friday. Over there it is written that I was positive to the metabolite of nikethamide, which is called nicotinamide. That is only ‑‑its purpose is only to show that nikethamide was in the system sometime before, and it's completely inactive and doesn't have any effect to the body. Q. So it was incorrect, the information, on September the 13th? MARIN CILIC: Yeah. You can see from the press release from ITF decision and from CAS tribunal that you can compare. It's on the website of CAS and website of ITF, both decisions. So you can see on your own as well. At the CAS they wrote it the way it is, where in the first hearing even the tribunal hasn't realized that that was incorrect. Q. Do you think the ITF has been dealing well in that case for the good of the players? Do you think they should have gone public before you had the chance to defend yourself? Do you think they should have maybe keep the information before coming to the right conclusion? MARIN CILIC: I'm not sure if I understood the question exactly. What were you meaning, if they should go public? Q. Are you happy they disclosed the fact you tested positive before you could defend yourself and prove that you were not doping? MARIN CILIC: Well, they made that announcement when the first hearing finished in London. So after the decision, after the first hearing, so it was nothing unusual. I mean, for me, is just an understandable and, I don't know what happened there. I'm definitely waiting CAS decision in writing and waiting what the ITF will say with all these things. I'm just happy to be in this moment, that I'm able to play and I am ‑‑but I'm still thinking what could have happened if I wouldn't realize or my lawyers wouldn't realize. It could have been much worse for me. Q. What do you think could have been handled better in your case? MARIN CILIC: I mean, I would just say that the time of the process was pretty long, and definitely it could have been quicker. The procedure took really long. And, I mean, due to some things that happen and especially in that first part until the first hearing went very long. I mean, definitely I would say for some other players there should be some rule where it says the hearing must, the first hearing must be after certain amount of time. I mean, I could have been in a position for the first hearing they could have maybe made it in October. It's like three, four months after notification. Q. Do you think, generally speaking, that the ITF didn't handle the case very professionally? And do you think ‑‑that's the second question ‑‑that maybe you're the victim of the fact that ITF has tried to toughen their doping policy lately, and that maybe for the time being the procedures are not quite right? MARIN CILIC: I don't know whether it was professional or not. I mean, this writing to me that I am positive to something that I'm not positive to, it's I don't know. I don't know what it's going to be, the explanation. They haven't talked about it at all. Definitely I have been hurt with that through the media and through when I was reading also some Internet articles. I mean, when you understand a little bit what the substance is, nikethamide, if you read a little bit about it, you're going to figure out that its effect is until like a couple hours, and it stays in the system for one day or two days and then it doesn't completely ‑‑it doesn't collide at all with my story that I have been saying that it was‑‑ that I was using these tablets five days before the tournament. I mean, the people were definitely much harsher with me than if it was the real story like it happened in the end. Q. Do you also regret that apparently ITF asked you to pretend you were injured at Wimbledon? MARIN CILIC: I mean, my lawyers were put under pressure at that time and told me I have to pull out. But also due to the part where I really had an injury with my knee. After the Queen's tournament I had the problems with my knee, and even I had ‑‑I had played a couple of exhibition match in Boodles, and I then canceled my match over there due to the tough problems with my knee. And then plus, with that I didn't really want to hurt it anymore, and two, to be under a risk. And plus, as well, that I found out that all my points and the results could be cleared, could be put to zero, so I didn't want to continue to play and possibly take somebody else's place. Q. I don't think the ruling from CAS has been published beyond the press release. To be clear, it's obviously a complicated matter. You're saying that at the CAS tribunal here, which obviously none of us were there, they told you that it was actually much less nikethamide in your system than you were originally told and what was originally thought at the September hearing? MARIN CILIC: Well, I'm going to try to explain what happened. At the first part of the procedure until the first hearing in September, until September 13, I haven't realized or my lawyers that there was no nikethamide in my system at all. I thought there was nikethamide, and even though the doctors made analysis and wrote it in there that only metabolite of nikethamide was found. So there was no nikethamide in my system at all, and that was not even a part of my conversation at the first hearing. The tribunal over there hasn't realized that because nobody talked about it. And plus, the doctor that was making the analysis hasn't been called as a witness. So later, after the first hearing, my lawyer found out through some other cases that had the same Coramine glucose that I have been using and had nikethamide in it. All those athletes have been positive to nikethamide and metabolite of nikethamide. The reason why they are looking for metabolite is because to be able to find nikethamide in the system. But that was the procedure 20, 30 years ago when this substance was banned in competition and out of competition. They still are using the same system to find nikethamide. But due to those things, because I stopped to use those tablets five days before the tournament, and probably nikethamide stay in the body probably one day or two days, and these metabolites are staying much, much longer. Nobody knows how long. That was the reason, the biggest part of the case that, I mean, was found out in the second hearing at CAS. Yeah, he has on the papers written down those things so he can show you to be clear on everything. Q. Rafa said he was happy you were back on tour, that he thinks you're a great guy and a great player. Do you think at this moment you also need the support of other players, because to have the e‑mails and all the fans, do you think it's important to have somebody like Rafa saying he's happy you're back? MARIN CILIC: I mean, it won't hurt, definitely. But all the players, I mean, they know me and they were really happy to see me and they were really happy that this is over for me, as there have been also many other cases in the past where the players were not cautious enough and they got some sanctions for few months. I mean, everybody knows it was like honest mistakes, and it can happen to really anyone. I'm of course definitely against doping, against the players who are cheating, and I would say that there should be some more seminars for the players just to be aware more about these things that can happen. I mean, even sometimes now these days I'm even looking in Gatorade. Always drinking closed bottle, because you have to be careful with all the things. It's not a fun thing to go to the hearings, and I wouldn't recommend that to anyone because it's very, very stressful and definitely it leaves big scar on anyone. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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