'Too Scared Of System': Sabalenka Admits To Taking Extreme Measures To Avoid Doping
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Aryna Sabalenka has revealed the impact of tennis' anti-doping system on her, saying she worries about accidentally and unknowingly testing positive.
Anti-doping procedures have been in the headlines for several months because of Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek's cases. The Italian tested positive for clostebol at the 2024 Indian Wells Open, while Swiatek was positive for trimetazidine in an out-of-competition sample.
Neither player deliberately doped. Sinner, who received a three-month ban after a case settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), was accidentally contaminated after massages from his physiotherapist, who had used a spray containing the prohibited substance.
Swiatek took melatonin tablets, a legal product that was contaminated with trimetazidine. Although her one-month suspension was short, she can count herself very unlucky since the fault clearly lies with the drug manufacturer.
Sinner and Swiatek's cases show how easy it is to test positive accidentally. Sabalenka has become acutely aware of this in a way she was not at the start of her successful WTA career.
Speaking to The National, the three-time Grand Slam champion admitted she fears the current system. The 26-year-old is more vigilant than before because she regularly thinks about doping procedures.
"Things get to your head that like if someone used a cream on you and you test positive, they’re not going to believe you. You just start to be more careful. For example, before I wouldn’t care to leave my glass of water and go to the bathroom in a restaurant and now, I’m not going to drink from the same glass of water.”
“You just become a bit too much aware of stuff and these things gets to your head that, like, if someone used a cream on you and you test positive, they’re not going to believe you or anything. You just become too scared of the system. I don’t see how I can trust the system.”
Sabalenka's concerns are entirely understandable. Honest players who have no intentions of cheating can find themselves in trouble if they let their guard down for a minute, possibly allowing contamination to occur.
On a human level, it is impossible not to sympathize with Sinner and Swiatek. The evidence clearly shows neither player intended to dope, and they were put through stressful ordeals. That is why Sabalenka is concerned about the same happening to her.
However, there are legitimate questions and frustrations from others about Sinner's case and whether he got treatment that has not been given to lower-ranked players, especially regarding his settling with WADA before his scheduled appeal hearing.
Daniil Medvedev hopes that case settlements become a precedent that other players in the same situation can avail of since it would seem unfair to the numerous other athletes who had to fight their cases in court.
A lengthy ban for Swiatek would have been devastating for the WTA Tour since she and Sabalenka have developed an outstanding rivalry at the top. Luckily, that was avoided, and fans can enjoy more epics in the future between them.
