Jannik Sinner’s doping controversy has taken an unexpected turn, leaving the tennis world in shock. A month ago, Sinner publicly disclosed his involvement in a doping trial, which had been ongoing since March during his Indian Wells campaign. Initially, things seemed to be going in his favor after he appealed to an independent tribunal of the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), which cleared him of any fault or negligence despite testing positive for Clostebol, a banned performance-enhancing drug, twice. However, on September 26th, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) revealed they had appealed the ITIA’s decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), calling for a potential one-to-two-year suspension.
WADA argued that the finding of “no fault or negligence” was incorrect under the applicable rules and pushed for Sinner’s ineligibility, although they are not seeking an immediate suspension. The matter is now under review by CAS, with no further comments from WADA at this time.
Sinner maintains that his positive test was the result of accidental contamination by his former physiotherapist, Giacomo Naldi, who used a spray containing Clostebol on his own wound before massaging Sinner without gloves. Both Sinner and his coach, Darren Cahill, insist that the young player had no knowledge of the contamination. After being fined and stripped of his prize money and ranking points from Indian Wells, Sinner parted ways with Naldi and fitness coach Umberto Ferrara.
Although Sinner managed to silence some critics by winning his first US Open title, he acknowledged that the doping saga has taken a toll on him mentally. Meanwhile, players like Roger Federer have expressed empathy, recognizing the stress such situations place on athletes, while others, like Nick Kyrgios, have been more critical of Sinner’s ability to avoid a ban. Carlos Alcaraz also commented on how difficult the situation must be, reiterating his belief in clean sport but withholding judgment due to limited information.
As Sinner progresses through the China Open, having already reached the quarter-finals, the tennis community waits to see how the CAS ruling will impact his
career.
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