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World's number 1 tennis player banned for 3 months
This ban has been imposed on Sinner due to failing the dope test twice last year. In March 2024, Sinner was found dope positive twice for consuming the banned drug anabolic steroid.
On Saturday, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) shared a big information. Jannik Sinner, who is the world's number one male tennis player has been banned for three months after being found dope positive. WADA said that the 23-year-old Italian player has accepted this ban. This ban on Sinner will be in effect from February 09 to May 4. However, he will be available to play in the second Grand Slam of the year, the French Open, starting on May 19.
This ban has been imposed on Sinner for twice testing for dope in the past year. Indeed, in March of 2024, twice Sinner was dope positive for having used the banned drug anabolic steroid. Nevertheless, no ban was imposed on him by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) since they believed that the banned drug was ingested through a physiotherapist massaging him by mistake. After that, WADA appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CSS) to suspend Sinner.
After appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sports, Sinner reached an out-of-court settlement with WADA. Due to this, he escaped a long ban. WADA said in a statement, we accept Sinner's explanation that the banned substance was found in Sinner's body due to the mistake of physiotherapist. WADA said we believe that the Italian player did not intend to cheat. This drug did not give him any performance-enhancing benefit and all this happened due to the negligence of the members of his medical team.
Sinner said, "I have always believed that I am responsible for my team and I realize that WADA's strict rules are an important protection for my favorite sport. I admit my mistake and hence I have agreed to WADA's proposal and accepted a three-month ban." Earlier, the Romanian player was caught in doping in 2022 for taking banned drugs. She was banned for four years. However, later the Court of Arbitration for Sports reduced it to just nine months. Former world number one player Swiatek also accidentally consumed banned drugs. After this, the Polish player was banned for one month in November 2024.
