Ivo Minar

Minar returns to action in an Italian challenger this week after finally serving the entire duration of his 8 month ban for substance abuse.

He has been training with former player Jan Vacek and says he is fully ready to go after his groin surgery late last year.

PRAGUE, Oct 14 AFP - Czech Republic's Ivo Minar was on Wednesday handed an eight-month doping ban which will rule the 25-year-old out of December's Davis Cup final against Spain, the International Tennis Federation announced.
Minar tested positive for a banned stimulant, methyl-hexanamine, during the Davis Cup quarter-final victory over Argentina in Ostrava in July.
The player said that the substance had entered his body through a nutritional supplement called ``Tight! Xtreme'', claiming he had taken it on professional advice unaware that it was on the banned list.
``The ITF accepted Minar's explanation, but it is the responsibility of each player to be aware that a banned substance does not penetrate his body,'' said a Czech tennis federation statement.
Minar will not be able to play again until March 10, 2010 and will miss the Davis Cup final in Barcelona from December 4-6 as well as the Australian Open.
In July's quarter-final, Minar replaced injured Radek Stepanek in the day's opening singles, losing in straight sets to Juan Carlos del Potro.

He has a doping cloud hanging over his head, but whilst investigations continue Ivo Minar is still free to play and is listed as an acceptance on the official entry list for next week's claycourt event in Bucharest, Romania.

Minar co-incidently pulled out of the US Open citing injury just days after it was founded he tested positive to the banned stimulant pseudo ephedrine following his straight set loss to del Potro in the July Davis Cup bout which the Czechs won 3-2.