Russian US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova said on Wednesday she may sue the Belgian politician who accused her of failing a drugs test.
The 19-year-old said she is trying her best to ignore the doping issue while she competes at the Australian Open but that her lawyers are already considering action against Belgian regional sports minister Claude Eerdekens.
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However Kuznetsova was cleared of any wrongdoing after governing body the WTA Tour said Eerdekens had spoken out of turn because ephedrine, the stimulant she tested positive for, is permitted at exhibition events.
"He definitely has to pay for it," Kuznetsova told a news conference on Wednesday. "My lawyers, my agents, my parents, WTA, everybody is working on it.
"Everybody's on my side because this is a terrible thing what can happen," she said.
NO ESCAPE
Kuznetsova showed no obvious sign of being distracted by the saga as she demolished Marion Bartoli of France 6-2, 6-0 to reach the third round at Melbourne Park but could not escape the spotlight.
"I'm professional enough to go there and just to do my job. While I was on the court, I was not thinking about this. I was focused on my match," she said.
"But you know the funny thing, last year when I won the US Open, it was a big dream for me, but I was not so famous.
"Now everybody is coming to my press conference, looking at my practice.
"I feel like a star here and I didn't do nothing wrong," Kuznetsova said.
She reiterated that she was innocent of any wrongdoing and disputed the minister's claim that she failed to tell the drug testers she had taken medicine to treat a cold.
Kuznetsova said that she had fallen ill during the exhibition and was treated by the tournament doctor. She said the doctor told her the medicine was all right to take and she notified the drug testers.
"I had temperature like 37 (degrees). I just felt sick and I went to the doctor. That is usual for everybody," she said.
"He gave me medicine and I was taking it. So nothing wrong with that. I was sick for, like maybe two days. I was taking it during the time he told me to."
"I'm not afraid of nothing because I didn't do nothing wrong. Maybe it's touched my reputation a little bit, but I think everybody understands."
Kuznetsova said she had been overwhelmed by the support of other players but had still not spoken to Elena Dementieva, her Russian team mate whom she beat to win the US Open final.
Dementieva was implicated in the affair, along with Nathalie Dechy of France, when Eerdekens initially said one of the three had tested positive before he singled out Kuznetsova.
Dementieva told reporters she was so upset her name had been dragged into it that she could not bring herself to talk to Kuznetsova.
"I kind of understand her, I don't mind," Kuznetsova said.
"I think we are all involved and we are all victims of this. It feels like everybody understands so I'm really pleased with this and appreciate that. We're all very clean athletes."
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