Jannik Sinner Strongly Denies 'Favorable Treatment' In Doping Case
NewsSaturday, 05 July 2025 at 00:00
Jannik Sinner has responded to those who feel he received better treatment than other players who have gone through the doping system.
The ATP world No. 1's doping case rocked the sport for several months. He tested positive for clostebol twice at the 2024 Indian Wells Open, but the story only became publicly known in August, a few days before the 2024 US Open.
After initially being set for an appeal hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, he and the World Anti-Doping Agency settled the case. Sinner accepted a three-month ban until a few days before the 2025 Italian Open in May in exchange for the case being closed.
The settlement led to a polarized reaction from tennis fans and players. Many defend Sinner on the basis that all investigations acknowledged that he did not take the clostebol deliberately and had no knowledge of it entering his system via massages from his physiotherapist at the time.
Others are furious that he was allowed to settle the case. Nick Kyrgios, a frequent critic of Sinner since the story became known, slammed the development and claimed there is no justice in tennis.
Kyrgios and others point to players whose offenses were similar to Sinner's who did not have an opportunity to settle their cases. This raises suspicions about whether other cases would have had a different outcome if they were as rich or famous as the three-time Grand Slam winner.
In a press conference at the 2025 Wimbledon Championships, Sinner rejected any notion that he was helped by bias in his favor. However, the world No. 1 did acknowledge that being able to pay for the best tennis lawyers might have assisted him.
"I was in a position to hire a great lawyer because I have the money that others do not have and that I have earned on my own merits. I went through the same process as the rest of the tennis players in the same situation, I have not received a favourable treatment. Perhaps, my defence has been more effective because I have the best around me."
Despite serving a ban, Sinner says his innocence was proven by WADA's acknowledgment that he did not knowingly take the substance. He feels the case, which went on for almost a year, received proper scrutiny.
"The ITIA takes the same time to give an answer to everyone. I know that there have been controversial decisions in the past, but my case was analysed in detail several times, and my innocence was always proven.”
Sinner being asked about the case again, despite it being officially over, shows the mark it left on tennis. There was further controversy last year when Iga Swiatek received a one-month ban for unknowingly taking trimetazidine.
Many feel that Swiatek was very unfortunate to receive a suspension. She bought melatonin tablets, a legal product from a manufacturer. There was no way the Pole could have known the tablets were contaminated, but she still received a short ban anyway.
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