Twitter
Facebook
Andre Agassi reacts to Martina Navratilova’s stinging remarks about his use of drugs 12 years ago
I’ve long admired Martina and love her honesty but she seemed to go way over the top with her reaction to the drug use Andre admits to in his new autobiography Open.
Clements was accused of using performance-enhancing drugs while crystal meth is far from that!
In a 60 Minutes interview that will air on Sunday, Katie Couric asks Agassi for his reaction to Martina’s unkind words.
“It’s what you don’t want to hear,” Agassi said, becoming emotional. “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.
“I had a problem, and there might be many other athletes out there that test positive for recreational drugs that have a problem. So I would ask for some compassion.”
Agassi subseqently failed a drug test but got away with it after he lied by saying he unwittingly took the substance.
Andre, who retired in 2006, said has no regrets about his disclosures in the book.
“I had way more to lose by telling this story in its full transparency than I had to gain,” he said. “The part that I worry and think more about is who this may help.”
Comments
(All comments are reviewed before being published, and I review submissions several times per day.)
David says:
“Agassi subsequently FAILED A DRUG TEST but got away with it after he LIED by saying he unwittingly took the substance.”
Is Martina being too harsh? Uh….no.
Xander says:
Comparing Agassi to Clemens? Agassi took a performance INHIBITOR. Clemens took a performance ENHANCER. There is nothing to compare. Cleary Martina does not know the difference between a performance ENHANCING drug and a performance INHIBITING drug, and she really showed her ignorance with that comment. Cold and heartless.
How the hell do you show NO compassion at somehow who changed their life around? It was 13 years ago that he used drugs! The man is now a loving father and husband. Agassi used meth as a way to escape his personal hell, and by doing so fell even further into it. He messed up, but you know what Martina (and David), this man changed the lives and futures of children with his school and the millions of dollars and countless hours he has devoted to his Preparatory Academy and other charities. What have YOU done today?
Wil says:
So you think only Andre changed the lives of children, how about Martina who changed the lives of young gay children in a time when there were few role models.I find that more coureagaous as being the so much straight model So Andre earned a lot of money with his wrong image than it is very easy to give so much money back not only money from yourself but from other celebrities as well through events and celebrity tennismatches