Top-ranked tennis player Jannik Sinner has accepted a three-month ban in a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), effectively closing a case that has been \"hanging over me\" since his two positive doping tests nearly a year ago.
WADA had sought to ban the three-time Grand Slam champion from the sport for at least one year, challenging a decision last year by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) not to suspend Sinner. The ITIA had previously judged the positive tests as accidental contamination by a banned anabolic steroid.
Sinner explained that trace amounts of Clostebol found in his doping sample were the result of a massage from a trainer who used the substance after cutting his own finger. This explanation was accepted by WADA, leading to the reduction of the ban to three months.
The timing of the ban means that the 23-year-old Italian will not miss any Grand Slam tournaments, with the French Open set to begin on May 25.
\"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 realize 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 three-month sanction.\"
Sinner's London-based lawyer, Jamie Singer, commented: \"I am delighted that Jannik can finally put this harrowing experience behind him. WADA has 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.\"
In the singles rankings, Sinner currently leads No. 2 Alexander Zverev by 3,695 points. The three-month ban will result in Sinner losing 1,600 points: 1,000 points from his Miami Open title last March, 400 points from reaching the Monte Carlo Masters semifinals last April, and 200 points from reaching the Madrid Open quarterfinals. If Zverev wins several titles while Sinner is out, the German could overtake Sinner for the No. 1 ranking.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
