The Swiss knows that it isn't easy to keep a clean sport.
Think Serena Williams has it bad? Don’t tell Roger Federer that. The Swiss told reporters on Sunday in his pre-Wimbledon press conference that he has been tested by tennis doping control seven times in the last month alone.
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“I've had a lot of testing the last month,” Federer said. “I think I've had seven tests. It's been quite heavy. Also blood and urine. Two in Stuttgart, in Halle. In the village I live in in Switzerland, the tester lives in the same village, so it's very convenient. It's very convenient. If he's bored at home, he probably just says, ‘Let me check in on Roger to see if he's having a good time.’"
Federer says the tests don’t bother him, but anti-doping’s lack of consistency with regard to how many tests they carry out on each player, and where they administer those tests, does.
“I've been tested quite a bit, quite frequently out of competition,” he said. “I mentioned many times in Dubai I've hardly ever been tested, which has been quite disappointing. To be honest, in the 15 years I've been there, it's been one test.”
Federer believes that funding may be the cause of the discrepancies at times, and called for more funding on Sunday.
“I think it varies from place to place that you spend your time in,” he said. “Maybe that's the part I don't like so much: the inconsistency of the places where they test. I understand it probably also has something to do with the budget of WADA, like flying somebody there just for that one test, I understand. Yet that should not be an excuse. That's why I think after all we still need more funding. I hope that's going to happen.”
The Swiss, who will open his bid to become a nine-time Wimbledon champion on Monday when he faces Serbia’s Dusan Lajovic, says tennis can never have enough testing, even if it is annoying at times.
“I don't believe there's ever going to be enough testing,” he said. “What's important is these people are professional, they know what they're doing, they treat you like humans, not like criminals. Then it's okay. But I understand the frustration sometimes. I have it, too.”
