NEW YORK:
Sinner Avoids Doping Ban Ahead of US Open World number one Jannik Sinner has been exonerated of doping charges by an independent tribunal, according to the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA). The ruling comes just days before Sinner is set to compete in the US Open.
The tribunal, organized by Sport Resolutions, accepted Sinner’s explanation that the anabolic agent clostebol entered his system unintentionally through massages and sports therapy administered by his support team. Sinner, the Australian Open champion, explained that his physiotherapist, Giacomo Naldi, used an over-the-counter spray containing clostebol to treat a small cut on Sinner’s finger. Naldi subsequently administered massages without gloves, leading to the substance’s transfer.
The ITIA confirmed that Sinner’s first positive drug test occurred on March 10, with a second test on March 18. Following these results, Sinner was provisionally suspended but allowed to continue playing after his team filed urgent appeals. However, his results, prize money, and ranking points from the ATP Masters 1000 event at Indian Wells, where the positive test was recorded, were disqualified as per the World Anti-Doping Code and Tennis Anti-Doping Programme regulations.
Sinner, who has consistently claimed innocence, noted that the amount of clostebol detected was less than a billionth of a gram. “I will now put this challenging and deeply unfortunate period behind me,” the 23-year-old player said in a social media statement.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has indicated that it will review the tribunal’s decision and may appeal.
The ATP Tour emphasized the need for players and their support teams to exercise extreme caution with products and treatments. Sinner’s case comes amid other doping incidents in tennis, including Simona Halep’s reduced four-year ban to nine months after testing positive for a banned substance at the 2022 US Open. Halep claimed the substance, roxadustat, was ingested inadvertently through contaminated supplements.
As the world’s top-ranked player, Sinner was already anticipated to attract significant attention at the US Open, starting on August 26. However, the doping case has intensified scrutiny, especially following his win in a US Open warm-up event in Cincinnati.
The tennis community has reacted strongly. Seven-time major winner and ESPN analyst John McEnroe expressed surprise at the timing of the incident, questioning the consistency of doping rulings. Australian player Nick Kyrgios criticized the decision on social media, arguing that even accidental doping should result in a longer suspension.
The main draw of the US Open begins on August 26, with Sinner expected to face heightened scrutiny in light of these recent developments.
