Yanina Wickmayer suspended 1 year for not verifying whereabouts to anti-doping officials

Belgian panel suspends Wickmayer for 1 year

BRUSSELS — A Belgian anti-doping tribunal has suspended U.S. Open semifinalist Yanina Wickmayer for one year for allegedly failing to report her whereabouts to anti-doping officials three times.

The Flemish regional tribunal said in a statement issued Thursday that the minimum one-year sanction is “reasonable.” Tribunal spokesman Koen Uman says the suspension takes immediate effect, but can be appealed by Wickmayer.

The 18th-ranked Belgian has denied any wrongdoing and said on her Web site she planned to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Wickmayer is playing in the Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions in Bali.

The suspension came as a surprise as the prosecutor at the tribunal in October recommended Wickmayer receive only a warning for missing three tests over 18 months.

But the tribunal said in a statement that Wickmayer’s failure to live up to anti-doping rules required the minimum one-year suspension.

Wickmayer said last month she has had trouble with her password in the computerized system overseen by the World Anti-Doping Agency. She also said registered mail at her home could not be signed off on because she was traveling to WTA tournaments.

She has insisted she never missed an anti-doping test and her samples were always negative.

Wickmayer has enjoyed a breakthrough year. She reached the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open, having never passed the second round at any previous Grand Slams.

She won her first two tour titles at Estoril in May and Linz last month, earning her a spot in this week’s season-ending tournament event.