WADA challenges Jannik Sinner's exoneration in doping case: Details here
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) isn't taking things lying down after the independent tribunal exonerated world number one tennis player, Jannik Sinner, following a positive test for a banned substance. The tribunal had said the Italian athlete was neither at fault nor negligent. But WADA thinks that ruling was "not correct under the applicable rules" and has filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Here's more.
WADA seeks ban for Sinner
As per the BBC, WADA is aiming for a ban of "between one and two years" on Jannik Sinner, but they're not looking for any disqualification of results beyond what the first tribunal already imposed. The appeal was lodged on September 26 and was announced while Sinner was battling it out against Roman Safiullin in the last 16 of the China Open in Beijing. Despite the news, he still managed to win against his Russian opponent.
ITIA investigation clears Sinner of intentional doping
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) had initially brought the case to a tribunal after Jannik Sinner tested positive for low levels of a clostebol metabolite, a muscle-building steroid, during the Indian Wells tournament in March. An investigation by ITIA revealed that Sinner's physiotherapist had unknowingly contaminated him with the banned substance during treatment. Despite being provisionally suspended, Sinner challenged this decision and continued playing.
Sinner's defense and tribunal's ruling
Sinner's camp argued that his physiotherapist, Giacomo Naldi, accidentally contaminated him with a banned substance. Apparently, Naldi used a product given by Sinner's fitness trainer to treat a cut on his own finger, unknowingly passing clostebol to Sinner. The tribunal found this explanation credible, ruling that Sinner wasn't at fault but still stripped him of his ranking points and prize money from the Indian Wells semi-finals.
Sinner won 2024 US Open men's singles title
Sinner toppled American No. 1 Taylor Fritz, 6-3, 6-4, 7-5, to lift his first US Open title earlier in September. Sinner showed relentless firepower to claim his second major of the year and his career. Sinner joined Jimmy Connors (1974) and Guillermo Vilas (1977) to become the third man in Open Era to win his first two Grand Slam titles in the same season.
