International tennis and anti-doping officials have expressed disappointment at Andre Agassi’s admission that he used a banned drug and lied to escape a ban, but said it was too late to take any sanctions against the eight-time Grand Slam champion.

Agassi reveals in an upcoming autobiography that he used the recreational stimulant crystal meth in 1997 and avoided a doping suspension by claiming he ingested the drug by accident in a spiked drink. Under today’s anti-doping rules, a player could face a ban of up to two years for use of the drug.

World Anti-Doping Agency president John Fahey said the body can’t take any action against Agassi because of its eight-year statute of limitations, and that it’s “unlikely” the ATP will either. “WADA would, however, expect the ATP, which administered its own anti-doping programme at that time, to shed light on this allegation,” Fahey said in a statement.

International Tennis Federation president Francesco Ricci Bitti said he was “surprised and disappointed” by Agassi’s disclosures. “Such comments in no way reflect the fact that the Tennis Anti-Doping Program is currently regarded as one of the most comprehensive anti-doping programmes in sport,” he said. The ATP said an independent panel makes the final decision on a doping violation.

“We would hope that Andre Agassi might now see his way to be a role model and alert youth and tennis players to the dangers of drug use and doping,” Fahey said. “The anti-doping system under the World Anti-Doping Code now ensures that a hearing by an independent tribunal occurs and excuses cannot be acted upon outside of such transparency.”

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