Sinner's Doping Case 'Will Be Overturned On Appeal' According To Top Sports Lawyer
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Jannik Sinner could receive terrible news in his doping case after a reputable sports lawyer predicted that the ATP No. 1 would be suspended by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Sinner's superb 2024 season included winning two Grand Slams, a maiden ATP Finals title on home soil in Turin, and a second consecutive Davis Cup title with Italy. He recorded multiple insane achievements throughout the year.
Unfortunately, a dark cloud has been hanging over his achievements in 2024. The 23-year-old champion twice tested positive for the banned substance clostebol at the Indian Wells Open.
Sinner recently reflected on the moment of complete darkness he felt when discovering the news, which came as a complete surprise to this year's US Open champion and caused him to panic.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) eventually cleared Sinner of wrongdoing after a private five-month investigation. His only penalty was forfeiting the ranking points and prize money he earned from the Indian Wells Open.
Sinner hoped to forget that stressful incident. However, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) appealed the case, arguing that he bore more responsibility for the positive tests than the ITIA determined.
Neither the ITIA nor WADA disputed Sinner's explanation that the clostebol entered his system accidentally from his physiotherapist. WADA simply feels the two-time Davis Cup Winner deserves more of the blame for that happening.
The exact date for the appeal hearing has not yet been determined, although it will not be before February 11th because the Court of Arbitration for Sport's hearings until then have been announced, and Sinner's did not feature.
Views differ about whether Sinner should receive a suspension. Nick Kyrgios has argued that all players who test positive for a banned substance should be given a two-year ban regardless of the circumstances.
However, Darren Cahill, one of Sinner's coaches, continues to defend him, and the Italian Davis Cup captain believes suspending him would be one of the biggest injustices in sports history.
Australian sports lawyer Tim Fuller told the Sydney Morning Herald that he expects WADA to get its wish and Sinner to receive a suspension, even though the case is unusual.
"In my opinion I believe that the no fault or negligence decision will be overturned on appeal and a sanction will be imposed. I would suggest that it’s a very, very unusual case."
"All WADA are really doing here is saying we accept that it is unintentional but you bear, or did bear, a certain degree of fault or negligence for what’s happened … we say that you, as the athlete, bear the ultimate responsibility – which is strict liability – and we say, therefore, you have demonstrated fault and negligence in your actions."
And then we’re going to look at now [what] we say is between a mid- to high-range level of fault or negligence, and that’s why they’re seeking [a ban of] one to two years. “One year would be deemed to be at the high end of the low fault standard. Zero to 12 [months] is the range for low fault."
That opinion from Fuller does not guarantee a suspension for Sinner, but he is an informed expert, meaning it might increase Sinner's anxiety levels ahead of the appeal hearing.
