Poison Claims Are 'fantasy', Insists Russian Federation

Russia's tennis federation has dismissed allegations that Tommy Haas was poisoned as "fantasy", claiming there was no evidence to suggest foul play during Germany's recent Davis Cup final defeat in Russia.

Haas, who had to pull out of the final with stomach pains, is due to fly to New York where he will undergo tests on his blood and his hair, after the International Tennis Federation revealed it is investigating the claims.

Haas's Davis Cup colleague Alexander Waske had told the German newspaper Bild: "I spoke with a Russian from Moscow at the Davis Cup. He said completely casually that Haas had been poisoned." Haas, who is now based in the US, added in the same newspaper: "Now I want to know whether it was a poisoning or if someone can prove it. I sat - or better laid - six hours on the toilet. I have never felt so miserable in my life - I was really scared."

However, Alexey Selivanenko, the vice-chairman of the Russian tennis federation told the Guardian today that there was no evidence the German No1 had been poisoned, also pointing out that the German tennis federation (DTB) had reached the same conclusion.

"This is simply rubbish," said Selivanenko. "We agree with the German federation on this, though we are less delicate about how we phrase it. But it's just fantasy. Haas has not been playing very well lately. This looks to me like an attempt to get back into the papers."

Asked why Haas might have fallen ill, Selivanenko said: "Tennis players do get ill from time to time. They work hard and have a lot of stress. But I don't know the reasons why he was feeling bad. We are not going to investigate the medical details."

Yesterday Russian sports observers also questioned why Haas had waited six weeks before going public with his claims that he had been poisoned during his country's Davis Cup final defeat in late September. Nikolai Mysin - a journalist with the Sovietsky Sport newspaper - said that the world No4 Nikolay Davydenko had also felt unwell during the tournament.

"It wasn't just Haas who felt bad," said Mysin. "Davydenko also wasn't well. Maybe they both ate something similar. It was obvious from the beginning that Haas wasn't on his best form. We attributed this to the fact he hadn't had time to prepare. The next day he didn't appear. But I really don't think he was deliberately poisoned."

The DTB also added that it believes there is no hard evidence to support the allegations. "There is no medical reason that justifies further, targeted tests with regard to poisoning," said spokesman Oliver Quante. "As an association, we must rely on facts in judging and assessing the situation and not on speculation. Therefore, because we have no evidence of poisoning and because we do not know how reliable the informant is, we must assume that it's no more than speculation."

Haas played on the opening day of the tie on September 21 but lost in straight sets to Igor Andreev. The Germans turned the contest around and went into the final day 2-1 ahead. Haas, however, was unable to take to the court on the Sunday for his reverse singles match with Mikhail Youzhny because of stomach pains. Russia then clinched the tie on the final day with Haas's replacement Philipp Petzschner losing in four sets and Andreev defeating Philipp Kohlschreiber.

"A matter like this will be thoroughly investigated," confirmed an ITF spokesman.