Professional tennis player Goncalo Oliveira has been handed a four-year suspension by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) following a failed drug test. The 30-year-old athlete, who represents Venezuela but is Portuguese-born, tested positive for methamphetamine during an ATP Challenger event in Manzanillo, Mexico, in November of last year.

Both the A and B samples provided by Oliveira returned positive results for the prohibited substance. Consequently, he was issued a provisional suspension in January, pending further investigation and a final ruling. The gravity of the positive test led to a mandatory four-year ban under anti-doping regulations.

In an unusual defense, Oliveira attributed the presence of methamphetamine in his system to a kiss. According to reports, he called an anonymous woman to provide a witness statement for his case. She testified that prior to their kiss, she had consumed “a pill which made me feel euphoria, agitation, confidence to socialize and in the moment a feeling of energy and joy,” implying the drug transfer occurred during their interaction.

Despite his explanation, an independent tribunal convened to review Oliveira's case ultimately upheld the four-year ban. The tribunal concluded that Oliveira failed to prove, on the balance of probabilities, that the kiss was indeed the source of his positive drug test. His time served under the provisional suspension will be credited against the total ban, making him eligible to return to professional tennis in January 2029.

Throughout his career, Goncalo Oliveira achieved a peak singles ranking just inside the top 200 in 2017. He found greater success in doubles events, where he broke into the top 100 and reached a career-high ranking of 77.