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WADA appeals the Italian star’s acquittal to CAS and requests a ban

WADA appeals the Italian star’s acquittal to CAS and requests a ban

Jannik Sinner was found not negligent by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA).

In a setback for Jannik Sinner, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) filed an appeal in August against the ITIA’s acquittal of the Italian. Sinner tested positive for Clostebol, a banned substance, twice in March 2024. After a hearing, he was acquitted of the two anti-doping violations by an independent International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) tribunal.

Montreal-based WADA announced on Saturday, August 28, that it is appealing the ITIA’s decision to the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport. The anti-doping agency filed an appeal on Thursday, September 26, requesting that the ATP number one and 2024 US Open champion be banned for up to two years.

Sinner provided a sample during the ATP Masters 1000 event in Indian Wells in March 2024 and a second sample after the competition ended. Both samples tested positive for low levels of Clostebol. The Italian successfully appealed against the subsequent provisional bans and was able to continue playing.

The world number 1’s claim that the substance was due to involuntary contamination was accepted. According to Sinner, his physical therapist used an over-the-counter spray sold in Italy that contained the offending substance. Giacomo Naldi used the spray on a cut finger before attending to Sinner, resulting in a positive test result. However, Sinner’s results, points and prize money from the ATP Masters 1000 event in Indian Wells were withdrawn.

Also read: (Watch) Jannik Sinner shares his goals for the rest of the 2024 season

Due to the consequences, Sinner has now separated from Umberto Ferrara, his fitness trainer and physiotherapist Giacomo Naldi. The first Italian world No. 1 expressed her disappointment at the unexpected turn of events, saying: “All three hearings on the doping incident had a positive outcome.”

The window in which WADA could file an appeal was set to end on October 1st. Italy’s anti-doping agency Nado Italia had until September 10 to file an appeal but decided against it.

News of Sinner’s positive tests was only made public after the Italian won the Cincinnati Open crown, leading to questions about ITIA’s handling of the case. Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic questioned whether the San Candido native should have been allowed to compete while he waited to be cleared of intentionally using the steroid.

Eighteen-time major winner Chris Evert hinted that top players like Sinner would receive preferential treatment after testing positive. “Different rules for different players,” was all Denis Shapovalov had to say, referring to the Sinner saga shortly after the matter came to light last month.

British player Dan Evans, who was banned from the tour for 12 months in 2017 because of a failed anti-doping test, also spoke out. He believes Sinner had a lucky break and draws parallels with fellow Briton Tara Moore and Romanian Simona Halep, who have spent significant amounts of time waiting for their bans to be lifted.

Also read: The three best tennis players who escaped the doping ban: Jannik Sinner, Andre Agassi and more

In Halep’s case, she fought all the way to the CAS before the Lausanne-based court overturned her four-year ban for time served. Tara Moore spent 19 months on the sidelines waiting for her case to be heard after testing positive for the anabolic steroids boldenone and nandrolone. Halep tested positive for roxadustat – an anemia drug used to stimulate the production of red blood cells in the body – after the 2022 US Open.

Sinner is currently playing in an ATP 500 event in Beijing, where he will face Jiri Lehecka in the quarterfinals to defend his crown. By defeating lucky loser Roman Safiullin in the round of 16, the Italian drew level with Alexander Zverev in 2024 and achieved the most match wins at ATP level (57) of any player in 2024. A win against Lehecka puts him at the top.

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