Agassi's admissions to drug use, lying add sad context to his lows and eventual highs
By Liza HoranUPDATE: See reader comments at bottom
Now we know, thanks to a preview of Andre Agassi's autobiography OPEN to be released on Nov. 9 by publisher Alfred A. Knopf, that the player's low point in the rankings (No. 141) was much, much lower than it looked.
It was revealed today by newspapers, including the Daily Mail (click for story) that the book contains an admission by Agassi that he tried crystal meth when his assistant, a known drug user, laid it out on the table to take it.
Agassi explains how felt during and after the dose, and the fact that he lied—claiming he inadvertently drank a soda laced with the illegal amphetamine—to cover up a failed drug test, which is required to compete on the ATP Tour.
The story has drawn shock from all quarters—administrators in pro tennis, journalists covering the player's career, and fans—and has caused a keen eye to be turned to drug testing processes in tennis.
The International Tennis Federation offered this statement today:
“The ITF is surprised and disappointed by the remarks made by Andre Agassi in his biography admitting substance abuse in 1997. Such comments in no way reflect the fact that the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme is currently regarded as one of the most rigorous and comprehensive anti-doping programmes in sport. The events in question occurred before the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was founded in 1999 and during the formative years of anti-doping in tennis when the programme was managed by individual governing bodies. The ITF first signed the WADA Code in 2004, and the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme undergoes constant review and improvement. In 2006, the ITF assumed responsibility for administration of the anti-doping programme on behalf of the ATP and then, in 2007, also on behalf of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour. The ITF, Grand Slams, ATP and Sony Ericsson WTA Tour arenow unified in their efforts to keep tennis free of drug use, and this should not be overshadowed by an incident that took place over 12 years ago. The statements by Mr. Agassi do, however, provide confirmation that a tough Anti-Doping Programme is needed."
Another admission made by Agassi, which neither the ITF nor anyone else could prevent or respond to, is that he "hated" playing tennis, but did so, the book says, out of fear of his violent and hot-tempered father.
My take: Andre Agassi's story of rising from a competitive junior player to Grand Slam tennis and then hitting rock-bottom only to work harder than ever in an attempt to reach the top again has been a great story. How he developed a rivalry and friendship with Pete Sampras and evolved his own style and personality over the years has been interesting to watch. Seeing him generate life-changing movements—by raising dozens of millions of dollars for children's causes and by founding his charter school and social programs—is momentous.
It's easy to say that it takes great people to perform great acts. But, as these admissions show, they can be preceded by great challenges. Maybe Agassi had to be on that down side to test his soul and spirit, and to discover his true character. Maybe falling that low caused him to reject his position and work harder than ever to reverse it and reach new heights.
We now have greater context to understand from where he came, and it makes where he's gone all the more amazing.
I don't admire anyone trying drugs nor going through the motions of a lifestyle or job they hate. But the measure of all of us is what have we done with what we've been given. As my mother says, "Everyone has their own starting line."
I do respect—and understand—Agassi's need to be honest. To be OPEN.
UPDATE: See player reactions and more on Times.co.uk, the source of the original preview of the book.
What is most sad about the whole thing is that Andre is taking so much heat for being HONEST. All of us make mistakes, and one of the worst that you can make is crystal meth. I know, I was hooked on it for 3 years. To be drug free for 6 years and to have reclaimed my life is my reward for going thru the living hell of recovery. When I started looking for help in 2002 there was so little information out there and so few who knew anything about it. I managed to recover on my own. It would be helpful if people would be more open about these types of things rather than sweeping them under a rug. I have always admired Andre and now do even more for his guts and courage in speaking out.
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Thanks for this special perspective. And congrats to you for your ongoing achievement of recovery.
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sorry to see this admission by Andre - we have so many downers in sports and so few heroes - might have been better if Andre had just gone to a priest to confess if he needed to "cleanse" himself. We desparately need role models for our youth and this does nothing to help. I understand the need to be "open" but I am disappointed at the same time.
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I admire Agassi for telling his secrets and feel sure he did because of a personal need. Just because he is a well known athlete doesn't mean he has to share all of his weaknesses and transgressions unless he so choses. He was obviously at a low point in his life and chose stupidly to use illegal drugs. The fact that he stopped using drugs and worked hard to get to the top of his game proves that it is possible to make mistakes but rise above them. His admission does nothing to change my admiration for him as a tennis professional and now as an individual working hard to improve the lives of those less fortunate.
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i wonder it is about Meth that would have been "performance enhancing" for Agassi as a tennis player
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I thought that Mr Agassi's comment about his dad was very interesting and honest. As a parent of two children that play competitive tennis, it is clear there are many more Mike Agassi types that are driving their children to become something that they do not want to become. I think this is child abuse. I applaud Mr. Agassi for his honesty and for letting it be known that all is not as golden as it seems.
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