The Laureus Academy has officially revoked tennis star Jannik Sinner's nomination for its prestigious World Sportsman of the Year Award. This decision, announced on Thursday, comes in light of Sinner's recent three-month doping ban.
Sinner, currently ranked number one in tennis, accepted the ban earlier this month after testing positive for the anabolic agent clostebol. The 23-year-old athlete claims that the substance entered his system inadvertently through massages and sports therapy administered by a member of his support team. The doping suspension is set to conclude on May 4.
In a statement, Laureus Academy Chairman Sean Fitzpatrick explained, \"We have followed this case, the decisions of the relevant global bodies and – whilst we note the extenuating circumstances involved – feel that the three-month ban renders the nomination ineligible.\" Fitzpatrick added that both Sinner and his team have been informed of the revocation.
The Laureus World Sports Awards, established in 2000, recognize outstanding achievements in sports, with nominees selected by global media. This year's nominations were scheduled to be announced on March 3 in Madrid.
Earlier this year, Sinner won the Australian Open title in January. However, in March 2024, he failed two drug tests but was permitted to continue competing while appealing the results. The positive tests emerged just days before the U.S. Open, leading to significant controversy despite an independent tribunal initially clearing him of any wrongdoing.
The decision to allow Sinner to compete despite the positive tests has sparked criticism from players and fans alike, who argue that his top-ranking status may have influenced the officials' decisions. In response, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against the tribunal's ruling, advocating for a ban of one to two years.
Ultimately, Sinner accepted a three-month doping ban as part of a settlement with WADA, which subsequently withdrew its appeal to CAS. Sinner is expected to return to professional play before the next Grand Slam event, the French Open. He becomes the second highly ranked player to accept a doping ban in recent months, following women's world number two Iga Swiatek's one-month suspension in November.
