The fall from Jannik Sinner’s controversial three-month ban after two positive samples for a banned substance last year has some of Tennis World’s Biggest Stars calls for more accountability.
Novak Djokovic Was asked about the situation prior to the Qatar Open this week, a tournament culprit had to compete before the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) announced its final decision.
Jannik Sinner from Italy moves as he carries the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup after defeating Alexander Zverev from Germany in the men’s single final at the Australian Open Tennis Championship in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday 26 January 2025. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)
“Right now, there is a lack of trust in general from the tennis players, both male and female, against Wada and ITIA and the whole process,” he said.
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“It’s not a good picture for our sport, it’s for sure,” he continued. “There is a consensus or I would say the majority of the players that I have talked to in the dressing room, which is not happy with the way this whole process has been handled.”
Wada announced over the weekend that it agreed to the conclusion of the International Tennis Integrity Agency (Itia), which found that Sinner had not intentionally used a forbidden substance to competitive gain.
SINNER, 23, tested positively for low levels of metabolite of Clostebol, a forbidden anabolic steroid that can be used for ophthalmological and dermatological use, in March 2024. Eight days after the Indian Wells tournament, Sinner tested positives again in an out-of -of competition test.
Novak Djokovic from Serbia responds after defeating Tomas Macha from the Czech Republic during their third round match at the Australian Open Tennis Championship in Melbourne, Australia, Friday, January 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)
Top-ranked Tennis Pro Jannik Sinner accepts three-month doping ban weeks after Australian Open victory
According to ITIA’s original finding, Sinner explained that he had tested positively after receiving a massage from a coach who had used an over-the-counter spray containing Clostbol to treat a small wound after cutting his own finger.
“Wada accepts that Mr. Sinner did not intend to cheat and that his exposure to Clostbol did not provide any performance -enhancing advantage and took place without his knowledge as a result of negligence of members of his entourage,” reads their statement.
Wada initially sought a long-standing ban on at least one year, but accepted a three-month ban explaining that “an athlete bears the responsibility of Entourage’s negligence.”
Jannik Sinner from Italy in action during his match against Ben Shelton from the United States of America in the semi -finals of the men’s singles of 2025 Australian Open in Melbourne Park on January 24, 2025. (Mike Frey-Preferred Pictures)
Sinner won two Grand Slams after testing positively – 2024 US Open and the Australian Open last month. His suspension lifts May 4, which means he won’t miss any of the remaining Grand Slam Tournaments this season.
Djokovic urged both agencies to review their process obtained by Sinner’s ban, saying that the current structure “obviously does not work” and seems to give themselves to “favorite.”
“A majority of players do not feel that it is fair. A majority of players want there to be favorite that is happening. It seems that you can almost affect the result if you are a top player if you have Access to the top lawyers and what not.
