Indian Wells, United States: Journeyman American player Wayne Odesnik received one of the longest bans in tennis history on Wednesday, a 15-year suspension for a second doping offence in five years.

The ban ends the ATP Tour career of the 29-year-old Odesnik, who is ranked 267th in the world.

He tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs after he was given an out-of-competition test in December. The International Tennis Federation sent urine samples to several labs, where they tested positive for anabolic steroids.

“Those samples were sent to WADA-accredited laboratories in Salt Lake City, USA and Montreal, Canada, for analysis, and were found to contain one or more of: metabolites of methenolone; metabolites of androst,” the ITF said in a joint news release with the United States Anti-Doping Agency.

The South African-born Odesnik was also suspended in 2010 for two years for possession of human growth hormone. That was later reduced to one year after he co-operated with the ITF’s anti-doping programme.

Odesnik released a statement on Wednesday, announcing his retirement. He said he didn’t realise that an over-the-counter supplement he took included a banned substance.

“Upon learning of my positive test results I was immediately heartbroken as words could not describe my shock and disappointment,” he added.

“Being the most tested American tennis player on tour, I would never knowingly have taken any chance of consuming a banned substance,” he said.

Besides the suspension, Odesnik will have to forfeit any prize money from three tournaments, comprising the Australian Open and two lower level Challenger series events.

But the world’s top players had no sympathy for the repeat offender.

World number four Andy Murray said Wednesday that as a repeat offender, Odesnik got what he deserved.

“Bye bye Wayne... Good riddance,” Murray wrote on Twitter when the suspension was announced.

Murray said after his 6-3, 6-3 win Wednesday over Adrian Mannarino in the Indian Wells tournament, that he doesn’t believe Odesnik’s version of the events.

“So he clearly was taking something and trying to get an advantage,” Murray told reporters. “After what happened the last time, you know, whatever story you believe, the one that was given, I don’t believe at all.

“I think it’s good for tennis to get him off the tour and away from the tour, because we don’t want that being part of the tour.”

Murray said he has been subjected to numerous random tests over the past year.

“It’s an inconvenience getting woken up at 6:30 in the morning, but if it gets people that are cheating out of the sport, then I’m all for that.”

World number two Roger Federer said he doesn’t know Odesnik but wants to see a fair playing field for everyone.

“Players and athletes should know if they cheat, they get caught, I guess. That’s the moral of the story here,” said Federer. “I’m all for a clean sport, and that’s why you’ve got to catch those guys.”