The CEO of ITIA Karen Moorhouse has returned to talk about the doping scandal that is involving the number 1 ATP Jannik Sinner.
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In the first months of 2025, probably around the month of March, the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne will rule on the matter and decide once and for all whether the Italian should serve a disqualification or not.
In an interview granted to tennis365.com, the representative of the International Tennis Integrity Agency expressed her opinion on the issue, also making a prediction on the possible disqualification of the Italian, which could be at least a year, according to the CEO of ITIA.
"If you test positive for a banned substance, the starting point for a possible ban is four years. If it can be proven that it was not intentional, the penalty is reduced to two years. At this point, there are distinctions to be made. In the case of Swiatek, we are talking about a contaminated product (medicine), while for Sinner there is the complication that his is a non-contaminated product, as the physiotherapist used the product in question on his finger which contained the active doping substance.
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For this, the range of the ban is one to two years. I know that WADA has said that the reason for the appeal focuses on whether the player may have liability, responding to the article which speaks of no significant fault or negligence. The independent first instance tribunal found that Sinner had no fault or negligence, having used the greatest possible care. The World Anti-Doping Agency disputes this," explained Moorohouse.
The 23-year-old Italian - in the meantime - is trying to concentrate on the court and on the Australian Open, the first tournament and Slam he will play in 2025 with the aim of reconfirming himself as defending champion after last year's success.
The CAS should decide Jannik's fate between the end of February and the beginning of March: they will be hard weeks to come for the Italian and his fans.
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After an independent tribunal ITIA acquitted the two-time Grand Slam champion, WADA decided to appeal to CAS to overturn the situation, asking for a 1-2 year ban for Sinner.
