Lleyton Hewitt has claimed ‘manipulated’ video evidence was used against him in an investigation into his altercation with an anti-doping official.The tennis legend received a two-week suspension and £15,000 fine for pushing a 60-year-old volunteer anti-doping chaperone after Australia’s Davis Cup semi-final defeat last November.Lleyton Hewitt has served as Australia’s Davis Cup captain since 2016, continuing the role following his retirement in 2020GettyWhy has Lleyton Hewitt been suspended?Hewitt, who is Australia’s Davis Cup captain, was charged in January for engaging in offensive conduct towards the official.The incident unfolded in the aftermath of Alex de Minaur’s loss to Jannick Sinner in last year’s semi-finals.Former Wimbledon and US Open champion Hewitt denied the charge – brought forward by the the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) following a review of video evidence, witness statements and interviews – citing self-defence.However, an independent panel upheld the charge, resulting in a fine and suspension for the two-time Grand Slam champion.On August 4, review panel leader Michael Heron KC stated that Hewitt’s actions ‘did not meet the requirements of self-defence’, and that his behaviour was ‘not reasonable and proportionate’.The sanction was suspended to be effective from September 24 until October 7, to avoid being ‘unduly punitive’ on Hewitt.This was to avoid interfering with Australia’s Davis Cup qualifier clash in Sydney over the weekend, which saw them lose 3-2 to Belgium.On top of this, the two-week ban was also put on hold to give Hewitt an opportunity to lodge an appeal.How has Hewitt responded to the charge?And Hewitt’s legal team, WRP Legal, have now confirmed they are considering this, after releasing a statement.In the statement, Hewitt’s representatives contend that video evidence in the matter was ‘manipulated’, and claimed he was unaware of the doping control official’s identity.GettyHewitt oversaw Australia’s defeat to Belgium, with Alex de Minaur suffering a shock defeat to world no.91 Raphael Collignon[/caption]GettyThe Aussie sporting great continued to coach his team, despite a suspension looming[/caption]It read: “In December 2024, Lleyton Hewitt AM (LH) was notified of an alleged breach of the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme (TADP) following submission of manipulated video evidence to the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA). “The footage appeared to depict LH making physical contact with a Doping Control Officer (DCO).“The incident in question occurred immediately following the second match of the 2024 Davis Cup tie between Australia and Italy. “In his capacity as Team Captain of the Australian team, LH exited the court alongside Alex de Minaur, walking through a highly congested tunnel area. “During this time, a DCO, who never made himself known to either LH or Alex de Minaur, made significant contact with LH who was recovering from surgery.“As the DCO attempted to re-approach Alex de Minaur in haste, LH, perceiving the threat of another imminent collision, reacted by fending the DCO away. GettyHewitt won Wimbledon in 2001[/caption]“Importantly, LH did not know who the DCO was or why he was in the tunnel.”The statement added: “The Tribunal (which consisted of one solicitor based in New Zealand), accepted LH’s account of the incident as the truth and found that the contact with the official was at the lower end of the spectrum for contact with officials. “The Tribunal rejected many of the claims made by the ITIA including the allegation that the push was unprovoked or motivated by anger or irritation.”Hewitt’s legal team also claimed that the ITIA’s press release did not point out the mitigating factors in Hewitt’s case.As well as Hewitt being unaware of the doping control official’s identity, they claimed his actions had been provoked by further contact, whilst stressing the tennis great hadn’t used threatening or abusive language.They also highlighted that the official wasn’t injured in the altercation and carried on with his duties, and that they hadn’t wished to pursue the complaint.GettyHewitt was previously ranked as high as World No.1[/caption]‘Exemplary professionalism’Issuing a final plea, WRP legal insisted Hewitt remains a model professional, citing his decision to continue in his role as Australia’s Davis Cup captain despite his full retirement from tennis in 2020.The statement continued: “LH has dedicated his life to the sport and both the tennis and wider community, as evidenced by his ongoing involvement in Davis Cup tennis well beyond his retirement as a player. “LH has consistently demonstrated exemplary professionalism and integrity both on and off the court. “The Tribunal expressly acknowledged this and also LH’s credibility throughout the proceedings. The ITIA’s unfair characterisation of him was rejected.It added: “Whilst LH and his legal team are considering an appeal of the decision, his primary concern remains the integrity of the sport and the fair treatment of all participants. “We reiterate LH’s commitment to upholding the highest standards of professionalism and respect within the tennis community and to the traditions of the Davis Cup competition.”