Nick Kyrgios and Denis Shapovalov have led the responses on social media from ATP and WTA players after Jannik Sinner escaped any ban for his two failed doping tests.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has confirmed that Sinner was found to bear no fault or negligence by an independent tribunal. So, the Italian will not get any suspension for the doping tests that Sinner failed during and after making the semi-final of Indian Wells.
Sinner firstly returned a positive test during the tournament in March and after the 23-year-old did a second test out of competition eight days later. But the ITIA’s tribunal ruled the ATP world No1’s physiotherapist, Giacomo Naldi, accidentally transferred the banned substance.
Naldi had bought an over-the-counter spray that is common in Italy to treat a cut to a finger. Yet the fitness trainer then transferred traces of clostebol to Sinner when giving the Italian a massage. But clostebol is always on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List.
Clostebol is permanently on the WADA Prohibited List as it can increase an athlete’s physical performances, as well as treating muscle wasting diseases. But the ITIA tribunal ruled that it was not Sinner’s fault nor was he aware of Naldi using a spray containing traces of clostebol.
READ MORE: What is clostebol and what the experts said about the Jannik Sinner case
Three scientific experts also argued during the ITIA tribunal that Sinner was not aware of the use of clostebol and that all performance-enhancing effects were unlikely. So, the Italian will not face a ban but loses the 400 ATP ranking points and his $325,000 (£250k) prize money.
Nick Kyrgios finds Jannik Sinner avoiding a ban for two failed tests ‘ridiculous’
In its announcement of the tribunal ruling, the ITIA also confirmed Sinner twice successfully appealed the automatic ban usually issued for testing positive for a banned substance. Thus, the world No1 was able to continue competing between the failed tests in March and now.
Such a situation has drawn criticism from Kyrgios, who thinks it is ‘ridiculous’ that Sinner did not receive a suspension after testing positive for a banned substance twice. The Australian also says the Italian should have been banned for at least two years after he failed two tests.
“Ridiculous,” Kyrgios said on X. “Whether it was accidental or planned, you get tested twice with a banned (steroid) substance you should be gone for two years. Your performance was enhanced. Massage cream… Yeah, nice.”
Denis Shapovalov and Tara Moore are left with questions after the ruling on Jannik Sinner
Shapovalov, meanwhile, turned his attentions to tennis players who have received bans for testing positive for banned substances after Sinner escaped any suspension. The Canadian even posted on X that he feels it is ‘different rules for different players’ following the ruling.
British tennis star Tara Moore is one such player who has received a suspension after failing a doping test only for it to be overturned. She was Britain’s leading women’s doubles player at the time back in May 2022 but fell down the rankings once she was provisionally banned.
Moore tested positive for nandrolone metabolites and boldenone in April 2022 from a test conducted whilst she was competing in the Colombian capital of Bogota. But it was not until December 2023 that an independent tribunal panel said Moore bore no fault or negligence.
Moore rued on X about the 19 months of ‘lost time’, ‘emotional distress’ and damage to her reputation the ban raised after a tribunal panel said the source of her failed doping test was contaminated meat. So, Sinner escaping bans for two failed tests drew a reply from Moore.
Moore said on X after learning Sinner twice appealed against any ban: “I guess only the top players’ images matter. I guess only the independent tribunal’s opinion on the top players is taken as sound and right. Yet they question them in my case? Just makes no sense.”
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