The Clostebol doping-issue involving Jannik Sinner in recent months has been reopened following the appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne by WADA, the World Anti-Doping Agency, which requested a 1-2 year suspension for the ATP No.1.
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Andy Roddick, during his podcast Served with, defended the Italian, but he would be surprised if Jannik didn't even get a sanction: according to the American legend, the Italian will get at least 6 months of ban.
"I think if Jannik Sinner was aware that he was taking a banned substance that didn't even give him any performance benefits, putting a Hall of Fame career at risk, he would be the worst and most stupid doper in history. I don't think he would have ever put his career at risk for that," he explained.
The former American champion also predicted the possible suspension that the two-time Grand Slam champion could face.
"I think that despite the minimum request of one year, it will end up with a 6-month sanction, which is in line with a case like this but would still be a contradiction to the 48-hour rule. At this point, however, I would be surprised if there was no suspension," he added.
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The International Tennis Integrity Agency responded to WADA with astatement to reiterate that the trial that acquitted Sinner in the Clostebol case respected all the guidelines of the World Anti-Doping Code. This news clearly circulated quickly and was commented on by many exponents of this sport, who exposed their thesis on the matter.
"The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) recognises 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 19 August 2024. The process was conducted in accordance with the guidelines of the World Anti-Doping Code; however, the ITIA recognises and respects WADA's right to appeal the decision of the independent tribunal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)"
WADA appeals to CAS
"The World Anti-Doping Agency confirms that it has lodged an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Thursday 26 September in the case of Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner, who was found by an independent tribunal of the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) to be not guilty or negligent for having tested positive twice for Clostebol, a prohibited substance, in March 2024. WADA considers that the finding of 'absence of fault or negligence' is not correct under the current rules and therefore calls for a period of ineligibility of between 1 and 2 years. WADA does not call for the disqualification of any result, other than that already imposed by the court of first instance. As the matter is now pending before CAS, WADA will not be making any further comments at this time."
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With this official note, the World Anti-Doping Agency announced its appeal on the case involving the ATP No.1, who tested positive for the substance in a test carried out this year at the BNP Parisbas Open in Indian Wells, where he subsequently lost points and prize money initially collected.
The issue will have to live another chapter, even though the Italian hoped to put it behind him once and for all and think exclusively about playing tennis. The CAS in Lausanne will hear the appeal presented by WADA, which had until the end of September to appeal the decision of the independent ITIA tribunal. The disqualification would be quite heavy, given that the request is for at least a year. The Italian's fans are inevitably worried about the issue that is forcefully returning to the forefront: all that remains is to wait for the hearing and further news on the case that has shaken the 23-year-old in recent months.
During the China Open in Beijing, Sinner had shared a harsh statement on the appeal filed by the World Anti-Doping Agency to the CAS in Lausanne.
"I am disappointed to hear that WADA has chosen to appeal the outcome of the ITIA ruling after the independent judges had exonerated me and declared me innocent. Over the past few months and during this process there have been three separate hearings that have confirmed my innocence. Several months of interviews and investigations culminated with three experts examining every detail through a formal hearing. They issued a thorough ruling explaining why they determined I was not at fault, with clear evidence provided and my cooperation throughout.
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Based on such a robust process, both the ITIA and the Italian anti-doping authority have accepted the explanations and waived their right to appeal. I understand that these things need to be thoroughly investigated to maintain the integrity of the sport we all love. However, it is difficult to understand what will be achieved by asking a different panel of three judges to examine the same facts and documents again. That said, I have nothing to hide and, as I have done all summer, I will cooperate fully with the appeal process and provide whatever may be necessary to prove my innocence once again. As the case is now awaiting adjudication at the CAS, I will not comment further," wrote Jannik.
