Wickmayer suspended for doping violation

BRUSSELS, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- Belgian tennis player Yanina Wickmayer was given a one-year suspension from competition for failing to keep doping officials notified of her location.

Wickmayer said she would appeal the suspension but withdrew from the Tournament of Champions event in Indonesia. She was to have played Friday for a spot in the tournament semifinals. Her place in the tournament was taken by Vera Dushevina.

Wickmayer, ranked No. 18 in the world and a semifinalist at this year's U.S. Open, was told Thursday of the suspension by the Flemish Doping Tribunal.

Wickmayer denied any wrongdoing in a posting on her Web site. She allegedly was in violation of anti-doping regulations in which athletes much keep doping officials notified of their whereabouts.

The Flemish Doping Tribunal also suspended Xavier Malisse, ranked 95th in the world among men's tennis players, for one year for missing a doping test and not keeping officials aware of where he could be located.

Appeals of the Flemish Doping Tribunal's decisions would be heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland.