<p>Croatian tennis player Marin Cilic has been banned for nine months after testing positive for the stimulant nikethamide, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) said on Monday.<br /><br /></p>.<p>In a statement the ITF said Cilic had "ingested the nikethamide inadvertently as a result of taking Coramine glucose tablets, and did not intend to enhance his performance in doing so".<br /><br />The suspension has been backdated to May 1, allowing Cilic to return to the circuit on January 31 next year.<br /><br />The ITF statement said Cilic had tested positive at the BMW Open in Munich this year. It said Cilic had asserted that he had taken the stimulant by accident as a result of taking the glucose tablets that had been purchased on his behalf from a pharmacy.<br /><br />Cilic, 24, has not played since withdrawing from his second-round match at Wimbledon in June. Cilic, who is currently ranked 24th, spent 11 successive weeks in the top 10. <br /></p>
<p>Croatian tennis player Marin Cilic has been banned for nine months after testing positive for the stimulant nikethamide, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) said on Monday.<br /><br /></p>.<p>In a statement the ITF said Cilic had "ingested the nikethamide inadvertently as a result of taking Coramine glucose tablets, and did not intend to enhance his performance in doing so".<br /><br />The suspension has been backdated to May 1, allowing Cilic to return to the circuit on January 31 next year.<br /><br />The ITF statement said Cilic had tested positive at the BMW Open in Munich this year. It said Cilic had asserted that he had taken the stimulant by accident as a result of taking the glucose tablets that had been purchased on his behalf from a pharmacy.<br /><br />Cilic, 24, has not played since withdrawing from his second-round match at Wimbledon in June. Cilic, who is currently ranked 24th, spent 11 successive weeks in the top 10. <br /></p>