Jannik Sinner has successfully appealed against a drug ban after two tests confirmed he had a banned substance in his system, with the route taken to reach an outcome in the case having a direct impact on his biggest rivals Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz.
Tennis players who test positive for a banned substance tend to be suspended until the outcome of the case, as highlighted in the high-profile case against Simona Halep.
Yet Sinner was allowed to continue his career after he failed a drug test at the Indian Wells Masters earlier this year, with that failed drug test confirmed in a second test.
Sinner, who warmed up for the US Open starting later this month by winning the Cincinnati title on Monday, first tested positive on March 10.
He was red-flagged again in an out-of-competition test eight days later, with both samples yielding trace amounts of clostebol, but he was able to continue playing on the ATP Tour after successfully challenging a provisional suspension.
Scientific experts consulted by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) concluded Sinner’s account – in which his physiotherapist had used an over-the-counter spray containing clostebol on his skin between March 5 to 13 – was credible.
Sinner said in a statement: “I will now put this challenging and deeply unfortunate period behind me. I will continue to do everything I can to ensure I comply with the ITIA’s anti-doping programme and I have a team around me that are meticulous in their own compliance.”
Sinner will clearly be relieved to emerge from this story without any punishment, but several prominent names in the game have expressed their surprise that the Italian was not suspended while his case was ongoing.
“Can’t imagine what every other player that got banned for contaminated substances is feeling right now,” said Canadian player Denis Shapovalov. “Different rules for different players.”
Athletes have had their careers put on hold during the appeals process, but Sinner played in the Madrid Masters after winning an appeal against a ban, before he went on to play at Wimbledon.
He then reached the quarter-finals at the Montreal Masters earlier this month before winning the Cincinnati Masters with a win against Frances Tiafoe in the final.
That run of results allowed Sinner to open up his lead at the top of the ATP rankings and he will head into the US Open as No 1 seed and with a comfortable lead at the top of the rankings.
Had Sinner been blocked from playing after his positive drug test at Indian Wells, he would not have the 1,000 points on his record from his win in Miami.
He would also have missed out on the 600 points he picked up at the Monte Carlo and Madrid Masters tournaments, as well as the 1,300 points on his record from runs to the semi-finals at the French Open and the quarter-finals at Wimbledon.
Add in the 500 points he collected from his win in the grass court event in Halle in June and the 1,200 ranking points gained from his performances at the Montreal and Cincinnati Masters this month and it adds up to a total of 4,600 ranking points collected since his first failed drug test.
The removal of those points would have left Sinner’s current points tally at 5,160, which would leave him at No 6 in the world rankings.
Djokovic and Alcaraz would have spent time in the No 1 position if Sinner had been suspended since his first positive test, yet the ITIA have insisted that have followed their protocols by allowing the Italian to continue to play.
“Sinner provided an in-competition sample at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Indian Wells, USA, on 10 March 2024, which contained the presence of a metabolite of clostebol at low levels,” read the ITIA statement.
“A further sample, conducted out of competition eight days later, also tested positive for the same metabolite – again at low levels.
“Clostebol is an anabolic agent prohibited at all times under Section S1 of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List. Under the World Anti-Doping Code (WADC), when a player returns an Adverse Analytical Finding for a non-specified substance, like clostebol, a provisional suspension is automatically applied. The player has the right to apply to an independent tribunal chair appointed by Sport Resolutions to have that provisional suspension lifted.
“As such, after each positive test, a provisional suspension was applied. On both occasions, Sinner successfully appealed the provisional suspension and so has been able to continue playing.
“The player explained that the substance had entered their system as a result of contamination from a support team member, who had been applying an over-the-counter spray (available in Italy) containing clostebol to their own skin to treat a small wound.
“That support team member applied the spray between 5 and 13 March, during which time they also provided daily massages and sports therapy to Sinner, resulting in unknowing transdermal contamination.
“Following consultation with scientific experts, who concluded that the player’s explanation was credible, the ITIA did not oppose the player’s appeals to lift the provisional suspensions.
“A thorough investigation by the ITIA followed, including multiple in-depth interviews with Sinner and their support team, all of whom co-operated fully with the process. Following that investigation, and in line with the independent scientific advice, the ITIA accepted the player’s explanation as to the source of clostebol found in their sample and that the violation was not intentional.
“The ITIA referred the case to an independent tribunal to consider the specific facts, review any comparable anti-doping decisions, and determine what, if any, fault the player bore and therefore the appropriate outcome.
“A hearing was convened at Sport Resolutions on 15 August 2024, from which the independent tribunal determined a finding of No Fault or Negligence applied in the case, resulting in no period of ineligibility.”
Sinner has been stripped of the prize money and 400 ranking points he gained from reaching the semi-finals at Indian Wells, where he lost in three sets to eventual champion and rival Alcaraz.
Yet as athletes are always responsible for any substance found in their bodies, Sinner may feel fortunate that he was not suspended until his case concluded.
