Zanellato Reinstated After Proving Meat Contamination

By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Friday, February 21, 2025
Photo credit: Corleve/Mark Peterson

Bad beef is the key to setting Nicolas Zanellato free from provisional suspension.

World No. 754 Zanelatto, who has been serving a provisional suspension since last August after failing a doping test, is eligible to return to play immediately after proving his positive test for boldenone came from ingesting contaminated Colombian beef.

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Following an investigation, which included interviews, review of detailed documentation, and advice from independent WADA-approved scientists, the International Tennis Integrity Agency found that Zanellato “bore No Fault or Negligence for [his] Anti-Doping Rule Violation.”

Zanellato, who reached a career-high world singles ranking of 458 in April 2024, provided an in-competition sample while competing in an ATP Challenger event in Ibagué, Colombia, on June 25th, 2024.

Boldenone, a banned steroid, is commonly used in the Colombian cattle industry to promote growth in animals before slaughter. Boldenone is legal in Colombia, which is where Zanellato ate the contaminated beef in a restaurant.

Zanellato was provisionally suspended since August 12th, 2024, having unsuccessfully appealed his case before an independent tribunal chair on August 22nd.

Since then, Zanellato subsequently obtained further evidence and documentation in support of his case. That evidence  “included detailed receipts, and information on the source of meat consumed during a number of visits to an independent restaurant outside of the tournament environment,” the ITIA said.

The ITIA conducted its own parallel investigation into the case, and concluded “the explanation was verified as plausible by independent scientific experts.”

If this case sounds strangely familliar don’t worry, you are not having a boldenone-induced flashback.

Back in 2020, the ITF reinstated doubles co-world No. 1 Robert Farah after accepting his claim eating contaminated meat in his native Colombia caused him to fail a doping test.

Robert Farah, like Zanellato, was provisionally suspended after testing positive for boldenone.

Farah, who ate a beef dinner cooked by his mom, provided receipts to prove his case. Farah showed his passport and flight record receipts as proof he was in Colombia before his positive test. His mother produced the supermarket receipt of her purchase of the beef two days before her son’s arrival, the market manager testified the beef came from a cattle company in northern Colombia and ranchers from the plant testified they routinely used boldenone on cattle.

A moral from both stories: Tennis pros be careful eating meat in Colombia and if you do, then be sure to save your reciepts.