<p>The eight times grand slam winner Agassi lied in 1997 to men's governing body to escape a ban. Though, ATP stayed away from the matter by issuing a bland statement on their doping policy, the ITF's Ricci Bitti launched a strong defence of the governing body's tough stand against drugs on Wednesday. <br /><br />"The ITF is surprised and disappointed by the remarks made by Andre Agassi in his biography admitting substance abuse in 1997," he said in a statement. <br /><br />"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. <br /><br />"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."</p>
<p>The eight times grand slam winner Agassi lied in 1997 to men's governing body to escape a ban. Though, ATP stayed away from the matter by issuing a bland statement on their doping policy, the ITF's Ricci Bitti launched a strong defence of the governing body's tough stand against drugs on Wednesday. <br /><br />"The ITF is surprised and disappointed by the remarks made by Andre Agassi in his biography admitting substance abuse in 1997," he said in a statement. <br /><br />"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. <br /><br />"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."</p>