Tennis-Sinner accepts three-month doping ban after settlement with WADA (updated)
15/02/2025 09:54
*
Sinner accepts doping ban from February 9 to May 4
*
Italian can return to training on April 13
*
WADA withdraws appeal to Court of Arbitration for Sport
(Adds statements from Sinner and his lawyer, Nick Kyrgios
reaction, details)
By Rohith Nair
Feb 15 (Reuters) - World number one Jannik Sinner has
accepted an immediate three-month doping ban after the World
Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said they had reached a settlement on
his period of ineligibility, making him eligible to return
before the French Open in May.
WADA had appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport
(CAS) against an independent tribunal's decision in August to
clear Sinner of wrongdoing after the three-times major winner
failed drug tests.
Sinner, who successfully defended his Australian Open
crown last month, had tested positive for anabolic agent
clostebol which he said had entered his system from a member of
his support team through massages and sports therapy.
Sinner's ban began on February 9 and will end on May 4 while
he can return to training on April 13. The French Open main draw
is scheduled to begin on May 25.
"WADA confirms that it has entered into a case resolution
agreement in the case of Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner,
with the player accepting a three-month period of ineligibility
for an anti-doping rule violation," WADA said in a statement on
Saturday.
"WADA accepts that Mr Sinner did not intend to cheat and
that his exposure to clostebol did not provide any
performance-enhancing benefit and took place without his
knowledge as the result of negligence of members of his
entourage.
"However, under the Code and by virtue of CAS precedent, an
athlete bears responsibility for the entourage's negligence."
The case was set to be heard by CAS in April and Sinner was
in danger of being banned for up to two years.
APPEAL WITHDRAWN
WADA has formally withdrawn its appeal to CAS after they
reached a settlement while they did not seek disqualification of
his results.
"This case had been hanging over me now for nearly a
year and the process still had a long time to run with a
decision maybe only at the end of the year," Sinner said in a
statement.
"I have always accepted that I am responsible for my
team and realise WADA's strict rules are an important protection
for the sport I love.
"On that basis I have accepted WADA's offer to resolve
these proceedings on the basis of a 3 month sanction."
Sinner is the second high-ranked player to accept a doping
ban in recent months after world number two Iga Swiatek accepted
a one-month suspension in November having tested positive for
banned substance trimetazidine (TMZ).
Swiatek had been provisionally suspended from September 12
until October 4, missing three tournaments as a result while she
also forfeited prize money from the Cincinnati Open, the
tournament directly following the test.
Australian Nick Kyrgios, who had said the two doping
incidents were 'disgusting' for the sport, said it was a "sad
day for tennis" after several other players received longer bans
for similar positive tests.
"Obviously Sinner's team have done everything in their
power to just go ahead and take a three-month ban, no titles
lost, no prize money lost," Kyrgios wrote on social media
platform X.
"Guilty or not? Sad day for tennis. Fairness in tennis
does not exist."
Sinner's lawyer Jamie Singer said WADA had confirmed the
facts determined by the independent tribunal.
"It is clear that Jannik had no intent, no knowledge,
and gained no competitive advantage. Regrettably, errors made by
members of his team led to this situation," Singer said.
(Reporting by Rohith Nair and Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru;
editing by David Evans, Kirsten Donovan and Christian Radnedge)
((Rohith.Nair@thomsonreuters.com | Twitter: @RohithNair;))