Former WTA star Martina Navratilova has expressed on WADAmove to appeal against Jannik Sinner's acquittal by an independent tribunal for ITIA. The women's tennis legend called WADAdecision a mess and she cited the case of the Chinese swimmers (one of the most turbulent doping stories), writing on her account:
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"This is a mess. WADA is a disaster. Chinese swimmers are sitting quietly and now this? What a bad system we have."
The International Tennis Integrity Agency responded to WADA with a press release to reiterate that the trial that acquitted Jannik Sinner and related to the young Italian's positive test for the doping substance Clostebol, respected all the guidelines of the World Anti-Doping Code.
"The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) recognizes the decision of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to appeal the finding of not guilty or negligent in the case of Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner, issued by an independent tribunal appointed by Sport Resolutions on August 19, 2024. The trial was conducted in accordance with the guidelines of the World Anti-Doping Code; however, the ITIA recognizes and respects WADA's right to appeal the decision of the independent tribunal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)."
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The Italian, as he himself admitted, did not imagine a further chapter in this sad story, after having already been declared innocent in three places. This news clearly circulated quickly and was commented on by many tennis players and former tennis players. Former Roland Garros winner Adriano Panatta analyzed the story, explaining how WADA acted - according to Panatta himself - for a political issue:
"WADA has every right to appeal, but in its reasons it immediately said that Sinner will not lose points or money in the tournaments already played. This means that even according to WADA itself, Jannik did not dope and this was quite clear also for the quantities of that Clostebol found in his body. WADA did it only for a political issue. For me, WADA did it only for a political issue, as if to vindicate its own existence. However, the TAS will then issue the final sentence on the case. The absurd thing is having to play at the highest level with this sword of Damocles hanging over a political issue. Scientists have said that he is innocent. If he were convicted, it would be a revolution because it goes against any logic. This boy is an example for everyone and he is clean, I hope that those who have to judge him are as well."
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Sinner's doping-issue has shed light on a story that probably hasn't received much attention in the international sports media before. It's about the four-year ban handed down to Stefano Battaglino for testing positive for Clostebol in a tournament played in Morocco, the same substance found in Jannik's urine on March 10 and 18.
Battaglino, former ATP number 760, according to the CAS tribunal - to which he appealed to try to reduce the ban - has failed to demonstrate the source of the positive test and that it was therefore an involuntary contamination. Now that WADA has decided to appeal to the CAS in Lausanne asking for 1 or 2 years of ban for Sinner, Battaglino has given an interesting interview explaining his point of view.
"Given how they treated me, unfortunately Sinner is at risk. I hope it's only the 6 months of the light sentence, and not the year or two years of the medium and serious sentences. However, I hope with all my heart that they acquit him, because he doesn't deserve all this. But, if they acquit him, they made a mistake with me. It would be nice to at least understand the yardstick. If they gave me the maximum sentence, they can't give him a week. The difference between my case and his is that Jannik has a personal staff. And to find the physiotherapist, all I had to do was pick up the phone. In my case, however, the physio was working for the tournament, and for months it was impossible to find him. He only responded two days before the end of the second trial. Too late," he explained.
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