Lleyton Hewitt handed two-week ban and sizeable fine for pushing 60-year-old doping control official after Davis Cup defeat

Former world number one Lleyton Hewitt has been handed a two-week ban for his ‘offensive’ conduct towards a ‘doping control official’. The 44-year-0ld, who won two Grand Slams during his playing days, is currently the captain of the Australian team set to participate in the Davis Cup.

The second round of the competition will be played on September 12 and 13, where Australia are due to face Belgium. Just before that, however, Captain Hewitt received a two-week ban from the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) for his violent conduct toward a doping control official.

The incident took place last year in Malaga, Spain, during the Davis Cup, where Australia suffered a defeat to defending champions Italy with a score of 2-0. At the end of the contest, as per the announced verdict, Hewitt engaged in offensive conduct towards a 60-year-old volunteer and pushed him. The former world number one denied the charges, but Hewitt was found guilty of the charges in the presence of video evidence, witness statements and interviews. Hewitt has also been fined 30,000 Australian dollars.

“The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) can today confirm that Australian Davis Cup captain Lleyton Hewitt has been suspended for two weeks following an independent tribunal ruling under the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme (TADP). Hewitt was also fined AU$30,000,” said the statement.

“Following an ITIA investigation, Hewitt, 44, was charged on 6 January 2025 with a breach of Article 7.15.1.1 of the TADP (engaging in offensive conduct towards a doping control official), after pushing a 60-year-old volunteer anti-doping chaperone at the conclusion of Australia’s Davis Cup semi-final defeat to Italy in Malaga, Spain, on 23 November 2024. Hewitt denied the charge - which was brought by the ITIA following review of video evidence, witness statements, and interviews - citing self-defence.”

Foul play

The statement further said that the hearing was delayed at the request of Hewitt, who wanted to appear in person before the tribunal. The hearing was finally conducted on July 21-22 earlier this year, where Hewitt failed to back up his claim that his actions were in ‘self-defence’.

“Accommodating Hewitt’s extension requests, travel schedule, desire to cross-examine witnesses and wish to appear in-person before the tribunal, a hearing was convened on 21-22 July 2025 in Sydney, with two additional online sessions, on 2 June 2025 and 15 July 2025, to accommodate witnesses,” said the statement. “On 4 August 2025, the independent tribunal chair Mr Heron ruled that the charge of offensive conduct was upheld, stating that Hewitt’s actions “did not meet the requirements of self-defence”, and that his behaviour was “not reasonable and proportionate.”

Luckily for Hewitt and for Team Australia, he will be able to lead the side in the upcoming second round of the Davis Cup as his suspension will start from September 24. As per the statement, the decision to have the suspension start in two weeks’ time was taken to give Hewitt time to appeal against the verdict and that the ban will not have a negative impact on Team Australia’s preparations for the upcoming Davis Cup.

“Following both parties’ submissions on appropriate sanction, Mr Heron KC issued Hewitt a two-week suspension. At the chair’s discretion*, the sanction was suspended to be effective from 24 September 2025 until 7 October 2025, so as not to be “unduly punitive” on Hewitt by impacting his Davis Cup schedule**, and to provide the opportunity for an appeal to be lodged before the sanction enters into effect. To date, no appeal has been lodged,” said the statement. “During the suspension, Hewitt is unable to take part in all tennis-related activities including coaching, mentoring, playing, captaincy and other associated roles.”