Sinner suspended for 3 months, WADA's appeal to CAS in April overturned!

le 15/02/2025 à 09h52

A thunderclap in the tennis world on Saturday. Twice tested positive for clostebol during the Indian Wells tournament in the spring of 2024, world number 1 Jannik Sinner, who had been acquitted by the ITIA (International Tennis Integrity Agency), is finally going to be sanctioned.

Although the World Anti-Doping Agency had appealed against the ITIA's decision, CAS was due to give its final ruling on the case on April 16 and 17, but the sanction came sooner than expected.

In agreement with Sinner, WADA announced the suspension of the Italian, winner of three Grand Slams since the start of last season, for a period of three months from February 9. The suspension will expire on May 4.

As a result of this suspension, Jannik Sinner will not be able to take part in the tournaments in Doha, Dubai, Indian Wells, Miami (where he is the defending champion), Monte-Carlo and Madrid. He will therefore be able to return for the Rome Masters 1000, which will be his home tournament.

The World Anti-Doping Agency explained its decision on its website.

"WADA recognizes that Mr. Sinner did not intend to cheat, that his exposure to clostebol did not provide any performance-enhancing benefit, and that it occurred without his knowledge due to the negligence of members of his entourage.

However, under the Code and CAS jurisprudence, an athlete is liable for the negligence of those around him.

Based on the unique set of facts in this case, a three-month suspension is considered an appropriate outcome.

As previously indicated, WADA has not requested the disqualification of any result, with the exception of that previously imposed by the court of first instance.

The International Tennis Federation and the International Tennis Integrity Agency, both co-respondents to WADA's appeal to CAS, who did not appeal the first instance decision, have both accepted the case resolution agreement.

WADA has officially withdrawn its appeal to CAS", reads a statement on the WADA website.

Pathetic. Halep and the others should sue for billions.

I'm at a loss for words. The exact explanation they gave for this 3 months suspension was the exact situation Halep found herself in, but she didn't get the benefit of the doubt and she wasn't allowed to continue playing while the investigation was underway. The decision they made effectively ended her career. Tennis...this is unacceptable.

Favoritism at its finest!

What a joke of sport this is, he should have been ban at least 2 years

This is bullshit , double standards.,

How convenient he will be back just before the second Slam of the year what a joke.

Only 3 months wtf?

It's a fix

Tennis players may as well start doping!

If you read into it properly. In Sinners case the Italian product labelling for the cream/spray in question had not been updated properly and so there had been a spate of similar incidents with Italian athletes since the rules changed. There's the argument that although the athlete is responsible for their teams actions that in this case the employee was not entirely to blame either. I agree fully lack of transparency issue etc, but this is nothing like the Halep case where she accidentally contaminated herself