Svetlana Kuznetsova hits a return against Marion Bartoli in Melbourne on Wednesday. Kuznetsova won 6-2, 6-0. (AFP)

Brussels: Belgian sports minister Claude Eerdekens has hit back at the WTA over criticism of his handling of a positive drugs test for Russian star Svetlana Kuznetsova, accusing the tennis body of being ?rotten? at its core.

WTA Tour executive Larry Scott earlier accused Eerdekens, who revealed the failed drugs test on Monday, of perpetrating a ?tremendous injustice? against the player, contesting the ephedrine she tested positive for was taken off-season, as permitted under WTA regulations.

And the US Open champion and world No. 5 herself explained Tuesday she had only taken the medicine for cold during a charity event in Belgium.

The WTA Tour chief said neither his body, the players named, the International Tennis Federation, Tennis Australia nor the Russian Tennis Federation had been contacted by the Belgian authorities.

However, Eerdekens denied having informed the press before letting the player know.

?False!? Eerdekens told the Belga news agency late on Tuesday. ?Her trainer had in fact called the anti-doping cell in Belgium?s French-speaking community at 10:30 am (local time) on Monday, and it informed him of the situation. The statement was not released to the Belgian press until 5:30 pm.?

The minister also palmed off the excuses offered by Kuznetsova. ?I?m flabbergasted to learn what they?re claiming. We have completed our mission, but the WTA apparently doesn?t even intend to study the Kuznetsova file. It?s staggering.

?I?m under the impression there is something rotten at the highest level of the WTA, which should have every interest in collaborating in the fight against doping instead of giving the impression of doing the contrary.?

WTA chief Scott blasted the sports minister?s actions as unnecessarily tainting the sport. ?In all my years in sports I have never seen a more disgraceful and irresponsible act by a sports official,? he said.

?I want to make clear that under the tennis anti-doping programme, ephedrine is not a banned substance when it?s taken out of competition. What Svetlana was playing in was a two-day charity exhibition during our off-season. This was not a competition.?