Tennis: Jannik Sinner accepts three-month suspension over doping charges

World number one men’s tennis player Jannik Sinner has accepted a three-month ban after reaching a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) for failing two drug tests last year. Sinner, who defended his Australian Open title last month, will remain suspended from February 9 until May 4. The 23-year-old Italian, however, will be eligible to play the next Grand Slam – the French Open (starting May 19).

Per the latest reports, WADA, on Saturday (Feb 15), released a statement accepting Sinner’s explanation that he accidentally came in contact with the banned substance by his physiotherapist. The Tennis body also accepts that Sinner ‘did not intend to cheat’ and that the drug ‘did not provide any performance-enhancing benefit'; all of this happened ‘without his knowledge as the result of the negligence of members of his entourage.’

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The statement read, "However, under the code and by virtue of CAS precedent, an athlete bears responsibility for the entourage's negligence. Based on the unique set of facts of this case, a three-month suspension is deemed to be an appropriate outcome."

Responding to it, Sinner’s lawyers said, as quoted by the BBC, "This case had been hanging over me for nearly a year, and the process still had a long time to run with a decision maybe only at the end of the year.

"I have always accepted that I am responsible for my team and realise Wada's strict rules are an important protection for the sport I love. On that basis, I have accepted Wada's offer to resolve these proceedings on the basis of a three-month sanction," Sinner said.

What led to Sinner's ban?

Sinner was cleared of any wrongdoings earlier by an independent panel after testing positive for a banned substance (used in March 2024). The report states that Sinner was accidentally contaminated by his physiotherapist, who treated a cut on his hand with a spray, which was later found to contain the banned substance.

Besides, the International Tennis Integrity Agency said in August that they found ‘no fault or negligence’ in Sinner’s case for testing positive for low levels of a metabolite of clostebol (a steroid) that can be used in building muscle mass.That, however, led to WADA appealing with CAS (last September), stating that when that independent panel found Sinner of ‘no fault or negligence’, it was incorrect under the applicable rules, seeking a ban of between one and two years, with a hearing scheduled on April (16-17).

Following this, Sinner accepted the ban, and the next tournament he can play is the Italian Open, starting May 7.

(With inputs from agencies)