Last updated on: 7/9/2012 | Author: ProCon.org

Roger Federer Biography

Title:
Professional tennis player
Position:
Con to the question "Should Performance Enhancing Drugs (Such as Steroids) Be Accepted in Sports?"
Reasoning:

“It’s [WADA’s ‘whereabouts’ rule] a tough system, no doubt. It’s a significant change to what we were used to before, so I think it takes some getting used to it.

I feel like this is how you’re going to catch them, right? You’re not going to catch them ringing them up and saying, ‘Look, I would like to test you maybe in two days.’ The guy’s cheating and they’re smart, right? It’s an hour a day. I know it’s a pain, but I would like it to be a clean sport, and that’s why I’m OK with it.”

Interview with the Associated Press, Feb. 1, 2009
Involvement and Affiliations:
  • Professional tennis player, 1998-present
  • Winner, silver medal, 2012 London Olympics
  • Winner, Men’s Singles, Wimbledon, 2003-2007, 2009, 2012
  • Winner, Men’s Singles, Australian Open, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2010
  • Recipient, Best Male Tennis Player, Excellence in Sports Performance and Achievements (ESPY), 2005-2009
  • Winner, Men’s Singles, French Open, 2009
  • Winner, Men’s Singles, US Open, 2004-2008
  • Recipient, Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award, Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) (voted by fellow players), 2004-2008
  • Recipient, ATP Fan Favorite Award, 2003-2008
  • Winner, Olympic Gold Medal in tennis (doubles), 2008
  • Recipient, Laureus World Sportsman of the Year, 2005-2008
  • Recipient, ATP Player of the Year, 2004-2007
  • Recipient, Best Male International Athlete, ESPY, 2007
  • Recipient, Swiss Sports Personality of the Year, 2003-2007
Education:
  • None found
Other:
  • Born Aug. 8, 1981 in Basel, Switzerland
  • Holds the record for the most Grand Slams (17) won by a male tennis player
  • Has advanced to the semifinals or better in a record 32 straight Grand Slam tournaments (previous record was 10 consecutive semifinals, shared by Ivan Lendl and Rod Laver)
  • All-time leader in career prize money in tennis, with $72,918,077 (as of July 9, 2012)
  • Has won 75 singles tennis titles, including 17 Grand Slams (as of July 9, 2012)
Quoted in:
  1. Is the 2009 WADA "Whereabouts" Rule (Requiring Professional Athletes to Report Three Months in Advance Where They Will Be for One Hour Every Day) an Unfair Invasion of Athletes' Privacy?