Hewitt engages lawyers regarding appeal of ban for pushing official

Lleyton Hewitt has engaged legal representation over appealing the two-week ban and $30,000 fine he was handed on Thursday morning for “offensive conduct” at a Davis Cup tie last year when he pushed a volunteer doping official against a wall.

The 44-year-old former world No.1 was found guilty by an independent tribunal of pushing a 60-year-old anti-doping chaperone following Australia’s semi-final defeat by Italy in Spain last year.

Hewitt will still be allowed to captain Australia in this weekend’s Davis Cup match against Belgium in Sydney, with the ban to run from September 24 to October 7.

He won’t be allowed to take part “in all tennis-related activities, including coaching, mentoring, playing, captaincy and other associated roles” while the ban is in place.

At Thursday’s Cup press conference, he said he would be appealing the decision.

“I’m just really disappointed about the overall decision, but also the whole process to be honest, even the lack of facts that have been put out,” Hewitt said.

“But I’ll be going through the appeal process with my legal team right now, so I won’t be talking about it any further.”

Hewitt then declined to shed light on his version of events.

“No, right now, it’s with my legal team, so we’ll be going through that. But yeah, I’m not making any more comments.”

Hewitt said there was no consideration from him or the Australian team that he would step aside as captain this weekend, and said he wouldn’t let the incident distract from the team.

“Well, yeah, I guess unlike the ITIA (International Tennis Integrity Agency) and the ITF (International Tennis Federation), I won’t be making it a distraction for the Davis Cup,” Hewitt said.

“This competition means too much. As I said, for us to get the opportunity to come back here three-and-a-half years later to play in Australia on home soil, so many young kids with the opportunity to see their role models, and especially Alex, up close, a top 10 player playing on his home court here in front of his home crowd.

“There’s too many great stories and positives to take away from this weekend and what we’re trying to do, and I think deep down it will just make the boys even stronger to go out there and get the job done.”

The tribunal recommended one-third of the $30,000 fine ($10,000) received by the ITIA should be paid to the chaperone “in compensation for the stress, discomfort and embarrassment of the incident”.

The official has since said he will never volunteer at a tie again, with the ITIA saying that would “represent a tangible loss to the anti-doping program”.

The agency had pushed for a heavier sanction, asking for a four-week suspension and a $US25,000 ($37,500) fine, with the tribunal agreeing “there was no apology or check on the well-being of the chaperone” and “a lack of remorse from Mr Hewitt”.

The agency also asked for Hewitt’s “poor disciplinary record, including five prior incidents of offensive conduct toward tennis officials and non-compliance with tennis rules” to be taken into account, as well as his conduct during the hearing, which it said had been “obstructive and inappropriate”.

Hewitt denied the charge and cited self-defence, but the tribunal upheld it, saying his behaviour was “not reasonable and proportionate”.

However, the tribunal rejected the ITIA’s primary case that “the push was unprovoked and born out of anger or irritation from the loss against Italy”.

With Hewitt’s side hosting Belgium this weekend, the tribunal’s chair, Michael Heron, said they did not want to be “unduly punitive” on Hewitt by affecting his Davis Cup schedule.

The incident happened when both Hewitt and the anti-doping chaperone were in the same crowded corridor and had made contact.

The tribunal accepted Hewitt had been recovering from a medical condition, which he said had prompted him to push away the official, who he didn’t know was a chaperone when there was contact between them.

But the tribunal found the push was “too strong or forceful and was excessive or disproportionate” and “there were other options available”.

In Hewitt’s defence, it was noted that “his distinguished 25-year career is marked by exemplary professionalism and commitment to tennis, and he’s expressed genuine regret for the incident and bears no animosity towards the chaperone.

“At the time, he was recovering from a health ailment and ongoing tenderness contributed to his reaction.”

The tribunal, ruling on his previous disciplinary record, said: “It did not consider that historic or unrelated blemishes on an otherwise exemplary career should increase the penalty for this isolated incident”.

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