AGASSI.. THE METH IN HIS MADNESS; TENNIS ANDRE'S DRUG CONFESSION.

Byline: JAMES NURSEY

ANDRE AGASSI'S image as one of tennis's golden boys is in tatters after his admission that he took crystal meth - but the star is set to escape punishment.

Agassi, 39, an eight-time Grand Slam champion, has revealed he failed an ATP drugs test in 1997 after snorting the illegal substance.

And the US star has come under attack from both the World Anti-Doping Agency and the International Tennis Federation for the confession in his autobiography.

But both organisations have admitted retired Agassi, who married tennis star Steffi Graf eight years ago and has two children, is likely to avoid retrospective punishment.

WADA, founded in 1999, cannot take any action against Agassi because of the agency's eight-year statute of limitations.

WADA director general David Howman said: "He obviously hasn't been able to sleep and he's come out and made a confession. You have to applaud that to a degree. But we're stuck by our eightyear limitation rule, so we can't do anything."

When Agassi failed the drug test, he lied to ATP tour officials to avoid a ban by saying he "unwittingly" took crystal meth after drinking someone else's drink by mistake.

Under tennis rules at the time, Agassi's actions might have warranted a three-month ban but WADA's current guidelines now provide for a sanction of up to two years if an athlete cannot prove mitigating circumstances.

WADA president John Fahey added: "We would expect the ATP, which administered its own anti-doping programme at that time, to shed light on this allegation."

Yesterday the ATP were also unwilling to act but the International Tennis Federation expressed its "surprise and disappointment". ITF president Francesco Ricci Bitti said: "We would hope Andre Agassi might now see his way to be a role model and alert the youth and tennis players to the dangers of drug use."

Agassi claims he was introduced to crystal meth by his assistant "Slim" when his form was falling and he was having doubts about his impending marriage to actress Brooke Shields in 1997.

Agassi was informed by the ATP later that year that he had tested positive for the drug and could face a threemonth ban.

He said he sent a letter to the ATP claiming he accidentally drank from a soda spiked with meth by "Slim" and asking for leniency. Agassi, who retired in 2006, said the ATP reviewed the case, accepted his explanation and threw it out.

Agassi was enduring the worst year of his career in 1997 as he struggled with a wrist injury and his world ranking slumped to a low of 141 in November of that year.

But his subsequent rise back up the rankings over the following two years, on the back of a gruelling fitness programme and the ignominy of playing on the lesser Challenger circuit, is legendary.

What is Crystal Meth?

Methamphetamine, otherwise known as crystal meth, is an extremely powerful stimulant which affects the brain and nervous system.

It is taken orally, snorted or injected and can also be smoked.

It is long-acting and users are known to go without sleep for days on end.

It was reclassified in the UK as a Class A drug in January 2007.

Crystal meth costs around pounds 25 for half a gram on the street - or pounds 15 for one hit.

CAPTION(S):

OWNED UP Agassi - now married to Steffi Graf, inset - admitted snorting meth after his assistant introduced him to the drug