Jannik Sinner has agreed to a three-month ban from tennis to resolve a doping case that has been ongoing for several months. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) announced on Saturday that the men's world No. 1 tested positive for the banned substance Clostebol twice in March 2024.
The ban will be in effect from February 9 to May 4, allowing Sinner to return to play in time for the French Open, the next grand slam event on the calendar. Earlier, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) had cleared Sinner of any wrongdoing related to the positive tests.
In a statement posted on social media in August, Sinner attributed the positive tests to inadvertent contamination of Clostebol during treatment by his physiotherapist. The substance was applied by the physiotherapist to their own skin, not directly on Sinner.
WADA had initially appealed the ITIA's decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) but withdrew the appeal following the agreement with Sinner. WADA acknowledged that Sinner did not intend to cheat and that the exposure to Clostebol was not for performance enhancement.
As per WADA's statement, athletes are responsible for the actions of their entourage, even in cases of negligence. The three-month suspension was deemed appropriate given the circumstances of the case.
Sinner expressed relief at being able to put the ordeal behind him and accepted responsibility for his team's actions. His lawyer also emphasized that Sinner had no intent or knowledge of the doping violation and gained no competitive advantage.
The ITIA confirmed that the breach was unintentional and that the agreement on the three-month ban was reached between WADA and Sinner. Sinner's lawyer expressed satisfaction that the facts determined by the Independent Tribunal were upheld.
In conclusion, Sinner's acceptance of the ban brings closure to a challenging chapter in his career, highlighting the importance of upholding anti-doping regulations in the sport of tennis.
