Tennis duo fail drug tests

The players reportedly testing positive in Paris

Two players failed drugs tests at last month's French Open, it emerged on Monday.

The players, who have not yet been identified, tested positive during the tournament, according to France's Council to Prevent and Fight Against Doping (CPLD).

One of them tested positive for a banned stimulant while another showed traces of an anesthetic in their urine sample.

Tennis boosts drug testing

The announcement sparked controversy with the International Tennis Federation (ITF), which accused the CPLD of releasing information in a "premature fashion".

"The ITF is surprised that the CPLD has disclosed that there are two positive results from anti-doping tests taken at 2002 Roland Garros," an ITF spokesman said.

"One of the key principles of the tennis anti-doping programme is the belief that players are innocent until proven guilty.

"In accordance with the tennis anti-doping programme and the ITF's signed agreement with the French government, positive results are announced only when procedures are concluded."

Under current ITF guidelines, an A and B sample are taken in drug tests before a tribunal is held, at which an official announcement is made.

The spokesman insisted that only sample A would have been tested so far for the two relevant players.