Men’s tennis World No. 1 Jannik Sinner could face suspension from both the French Open and Wimbledon next year, even if a ban proposed by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is ultimately reduced.
The 2024 two Glam Slam winner is expected to feature in next year’s Australian Open but his availability at the French Open and Centre Court has been challenged with the allegations resulting from a doping test earlier this year. The 23-year-old Italian tested positive for the anabolic steroid clostebol in March, but an independent tribunal accepted his explanation that the substance entered his system due to a massage performed by his physiotherapist, who had used a spray containing the banned steroid to treat a finger injury.
However, WADA has appealed the tribunal’s decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), seeking to extend the ban to up to two years. The agency believes that the finding of ‘no fault or negligence’ was inconsistent with the applicable rules induced to maintain transparency in the sport. In a statement released by the agency, it explained its stance on the penalty and evaded any claims of disqualification of the athlete’s participation or victories during, before, and after the investigations were done.
“WADA is requesting a suspension period of one to two years and is not seeking to disqualify any results beyond those already invalidated by the initial tribunal.”
The appeal hearing for Jannik Sinner’s doping case has been scheduled for February next year, allowing him to defend his Australian Open title in January before any ruling.
Nevertheless, the CAS decision is expected before the French Open in June, leaving Sinner’s participation in that tournament uncertain. This will extend to subsequent Glam Slams and ATP tours if counter-appeals are dismissed and a severe judgment is passed. Should CAS find Sinner liable, he may face a shorter ban than the one WADA is currently advocating, but the outcome would still significantly impact his career.
WADA’s precedent in similar cases has emphasized that athletes bear responsibility for any prohibited substances in their system, and the CAS hearing is likely to focus on the trace amounts of clostebol found in Sinner’s positive test.
The small quantities detected suggest the substance was unlikely to enhance performance, but this case differs significantly from that of world Women’s No. 2 Iga Świątek who accepted a one-month suspension this week.
Reports indicate Świątek’s positive test in August was caused by contamination of melatonin, a regulated over-the-counter sleep aid manufactured in Poland, which she had taken for jet lag. She was found to have been “at the lowest end of the range for no significant fault or negligence,” and so was given a light punishment. The Polish star had previously missed three tournaments during the Asian swing after the US Open, although at the time, she didn’t give the real reason for being sidelined.
By contrast, Sinner has claimed the banned substance entered his system via a massage cream containing clostebol, but WADA has maintained that athletes must account for all substances present in their bodies. Sinner may find some optimism in comments by WADA Director Olivier Niggli, who suggested that modern detection technology has introduced challenges due to its ability to identify extremely small amounts of banned substances.
“Contamination is a real issue today,” Niggli told L’Équipe. “We do not have more doping cases than before, but labs can now detect minuscule quantities of banned substances. We need to reconsider how we address this problem.”
“The quantities detected are so tiny that even everyday activities could result in contamination. If we wanted to simplify matters, we could set new thresholds to eliminate these cases. But this raises the question: Are we prepared to accept microdosing? And where should the limits be drawn?”
He concluded by saying, “A working group will be established to address these questions and determine the appropriate response to such cases.”
If Sinner were to receive a three-month suspension in mid-2025, it could prevent him from competing in the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open, severely impacting his ranking. A six-month or longer ban would almost certainly sideline him for the remainder of the Grand Slam season, potentially ending his year prematurely. But with the case going into 2025, there’s still a huge possibility that the punishment will be passed.
Several calls from tennis legends and athletes who have been accused and penalized for similar circumstances have made it to the media, raising concerns about the biased nature of recent rulings. The way the tennis agencies handled both cases drew sharp criticism from several players who coined different names for the situation.
Former Australian Open boss Paul McNamee says the doping cases involving Iga Swiatek and Jannik Sinner will cast a shadow over the Australian summers of tennis, calling the handling of both cases “sloppy”.
Speaking to the The Sydney Morning Herald, he said: “Obviously, they’ve got rules and regulations, and his [Sinner’s] team played it [well] from the beginning, so they did nothing wrong. I just think earlier transparency would have been appropriate. I want to see these cases get resolved sooner rather than later, but it has put a bit of a shadow around things, I think.”
Nick Kyrgios called the sport “cooked” while former French Open and Australian Open champion Yevgeny Kafelnikov, who was also the world number one for six weeks, from May to June 1999, criticized the light bans, stating that the handling of the athletes involved is a bad example for future generations. Taking to socials, he wrote:
“There should be a lifetime ban for those who test positive. There are no excuses, zero tolerance no matter who you are. Sometimes I wonder, why the hell didn’t I use steroids throughout my career? I could have played 300 matches instead of 170 each year. It’s a real shame what is happening today in the world of tennis. The saddest part is the young players (12-16 years old), who look up to their idols and think it may be normal to use steroids in the future to succeed. These players are a bad example for the new generations.”
Sinner on his defense acknowledged the mental toll of the WADA appeal following his Davis Cup victory with Italy. “It’s always in the back of your mind,” he admitted.
“We’ve had three hearings already, all with positive outcomes, so I hope this one will be the same. For me, the most important thing is the trust of the people around me, who know me as a person. That’s what has helped me maintain my level of play.”
“Of course, I’ve had emotional ups and downs, and it’s been tough at times, but life throws challenges at you, and you have to face them.”
“It’s hard for outsiders to truly understand what someone is going through. We all strive to compete to the best of our abilities, and I’m not overly worried. I’ll continue working with the same approach and see what happens,” he said.
“Now, I’m looking forward to some downtime after a long season. We were joking that the next tournaments are just a month away. It’s important to enjoy the break, spend time with good people, and recharge.”
Sinner may have hoped the issue was resolved after avoiding a suspension from tennis authorities in a year that has been his record-breaking year. He went on to claim the US Open, and the Davis Cup and broke a personal and national record with 8 ATP titles. Now, it appears his participation in 2025 will be dominated by the doping case.
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