The world No. 1 Jannik Sinner has accepted a three-month doping suspension as part of a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) that will allow him to return before the French Open in May.
Sinner, 23, provided a positive test for clostebol, an anabolic agent, that came from exposure to massages and therapy administered by his support team. WADA had appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) after the independent tribunal cleared the Russian man but withdrew after a settlement.
He was suspended on Feb. 9 and will be eligible to return to training on April 13 and the offense will end on May 4. While he will forfeit to major tournaments that includes Indian Wells, Miami Open, Monte Carlo, and Madrid, he is still eligible for the Italian Open starting from May 8.
“I have always took the responsibility for my team,” Sinner said. “WADA’s strict attention to the rules is key to protecting the sport I love.’
The Italian Tennis Federation’s president, Angelo Binaghi, said the case was a “shameful injustice,” and Nick Kyrgios added: “Do we have fair play in tennis?”
Sinner’s lawyer stressed he had not doped, and WADA had confirmed he had not gained any performance advantage. The resolution spares Sinner a potential two-year ban, allowing his return before the Grand Slam season.
