Agassi pleads his crystal meth case in US television interview

Eight-time Grand Slam winner Andre Agassi said that revelations in his upcoming autobiography that he used the drug crystal meth during a period of 1997 depression needed to be made public.

The tarnished tennis icon told the television programme "60 Minutes" in an interview to be broadcast Sunday that he does not regret telling all in his book.

"I don't know what the ramifications are," he said, referring to the possibility that the incident could keep him out of the tennis Hall of Fame someday.

"I had way more to lose by telling this story in its full transparency than I had to gain. The price that that comes with is the cost that I've assumed and I'm okay because the part that I worry and think more about is who this may help."

The 39-year-old added that he is glad he told his details of the drug use and subsequently lying to the ATP to escape any punishment.

The incident has sparred calls for retroactive sanctions and an ATP probe from the new international drug czars at WADA - who now handle sport testing - as well as disappointment from current players including the world top two of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

Martina Navratilova slammed Agassi, comparing his actions to those of baseball pitcher Roger Clemens, also involved in drug-use controversy.

"It's what you don't want to hear," he said of the harsh Navratilova comments. "I would hope along with that would come some compassion that maybe this person doesn't need condemnation. Maybe this person could stand a little help.

"Because that was at a time in my life when I needed help."

--DPA

abr/dg

( 288 Words)

2009-11-06-16:59:55 (IANS)

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