Mention Wimbledon and a few things spring to mind – strawberries and cream, Roger Federer, celebs in suits at the finals and bad weather for example.

It’s all pretty fancy, which is why allegations of intentional poisoning at this year’s tournament are causing shock waves in the tennis world.

18-year-old Gabriella Taylor competed in the girls’ tournament (that’s the junior event), although she fell ill during her quarter-final match and spent four days in intensive care.

Now Scotland Yard are investigating the matter, having received an allegation of ‘poisoning with intent to endanger life or cause grievous bodily harm’.

Over to the BBC:

[Gabriella’s mother] Milena Taylor [said] her daughter had been “close to death”.

She said that doctors diagnosed a rare strain of leptospirosis – also known as Weil’s disease – a bacteria which can be transmitted through rat urine.

The teenager, from Southampton, had been staying “in a completely healthy environment” and it was “impossible” for her to have simply become ill, her mother told the paper.

Asked who might be behind any deliberate act, Mrs Taylor said: “That is not for me to say. I just want the police to investigate it fully and it will be up to them how to proceed.”

Here’s how Gabriella herself described the ordeal:

“It started the day before as a stomach bug and I managed to overcome it by winning my match that day,” Taylor added.

“But, the day of the quarter-final, I woke up and felt 10 times worse. I couldn’t believe it was happening to me in one of the most important tournaments of my life.”

Scotland Yard have said they received the allegations last week, with the incident in question taking place at some point between 1 and 10 July.

Wimbledon have also released a statement, including the fact that “there is no record of Miss Taylor using her catering pass to eat on site at the Championships in 2016”.

If she wasn’t eating on site then where was she eating? Who is behind the alleged poisoning? Hopefully those answers will come to light during the investigation.

Anyone fancy putting some laxative in Andy Murray’s drink pre-match next year?

[source:bbc]