NCAA ex player Casey Kania banned for 2 years for testing positive for marijuana

A new case of doping has shocked tennis. The former American NCAA player Casey Kania was banned for two years for testing positive for marijuana. Kania, who played in the NCAA doubles championship in 2023, then received a very harsh suspension, which he will have to serve over the next two years.

Kania, from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, played in ATP Futures tournaments and reached his highest doubles ranking at position No.1317 on August 21, 2023.

International Tennis Integrity Agency explained Kania was found positive for marijuana following a test of a urine sample during the Challenger tournament in Cary, United States, in August 2023.

American tennis player Casey Kania has been suspended from the sport for two years following a breach of the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme.

— International Tennis Integrity Agency (@itia_tennis) February 27, 2024

The tennis player explained how the marijuana intake was not intentional. ITIA accepted, and for this reason the boy’s sentence was reduced from a four-year disqualification for intentional violation to a two-year fine.

Casey Kania’s disqualification will be backdated to February 1, 2024, the date the decision in his case was issued, and will end on February 1, 2026.

Casey Kania© Uiversity of North Carolina UNC

The ITIA statement regarding Kania’s doping ban

This is the statement released by ITIA:

“A new case of doping has shocked tennis. The former American NCAA player Casey Kania was banned for two years for testing positive for marijuana. Kania, who played in the NCAA doubles championship in 2023, then received a very harsh suspension, which he will have to serve over the next two years.

Kania, from University of North Carolina, played in ATP Futures tournaments and reached her highest doubles ranking at position No.1317 on August 21, 2023. International Tennis Integrity Agency explained Kania was found positive for marijuana following a test of a urine sample during the Challenger tournament in Cary, United States, in August 2023.

The tennis player explained how the marijuana intake was not intentional. ITIA accepted, and for this reason the boy’s sentence was reduced from a four-year disqualification for intentional violation to a two-year fine. Casey Kania’s disqualification will be backdated to February 1, 2024, the date the decision in his case was issued, and will end on February 1, 2026.”