07 November,2009 07:54 AM IST | | AFP
Andre Agassi has pleaded for compassion from critics over his taking of crystal methamphetamine, saying he needed help to fight depression in 1997.
CBS released excerpts from Agassi's interview in the '60 Minutes' programme regarding his admission of taking methamphetamine.
Agassi became emotional when interviewer Katie Couric read him the words of Martina Navratilova, who compared Agassi to Roger Clemens, a star baseball pitcher who has denied wrongdoing despite links to performance-enhancing drugs. "It's what you don't want to hear. I would hope with that would come some compassion that maybe this person doesn't need condemnation. Maybe this person could stand a little help," Agassi said. "That was at a time 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."
