By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Friday, February 21, 2025
Photo credit: Corleve/Mark Peterson
It turns out that a case of “bad beef” has been the breakthrough Nicolas Zanellato needed to free himself from a provisional suspension. Ranked 754 in the world, Zanellato has been sidelined since last August due to a failed doping test. However, he’s now back in action, having shown that his positive test for the banned substance boldenone was due to eating contaminated Colombian beef.
An extensive investigation was carried out, featuring interviews and a deep dive into documentation, along with input from independent scientists approved by WADA. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) ultimately determined that Zanellato wasn’t at fault for the doping violation.
Zanellato, who once peaked at a singles ranking of 458 in April 2024, provided a sample during an ATP Challenger event in Ibagué, Colombia, on June 25th, 2024. Boldenone, a banned steroid, is frequently used in Colombia’s cattle industry to promote animal growth. While it’s legal there, it led to Zanellato consuming the tainted beef at a local restaurant.
Since his suspension began on August 12th, 2024—and after his initial appeal was unsuccessful on August 22nd—Zanellato gathered more evidence. This included detailed receipts and information on the meat sources he consumed from an independent eatery outside the tournament setting, the ITIA reported.
The ITIA also ran its own investigation, eventually agreeing with the explanation as credible, supported by independent scientific opinions.
If this story rings a bell, it’s not just déjà vu. In 2020, the ITF cleared doubles co-world No. 1 Robert Farah in a similar scenario after he claimed contaminated Colombian meat led to his positive doping test.
Farah, like Zanellato, was temporarily suspended after testing for boldenone. He managed to demonstrate his case by presenting receipts, passport stamps, and flight records proving he was in Colombia when the incident occurred. His mother’s supermarket receipt from the beef purchase, verified by a market manager and ranchers who attested to using boldenone, strengthened his defense.
The takeaway? If you’re a tennis pro eating meat in Colombia, hold onto those receipts!
