Jannik Sinner ‘did not’ receive special treatment and there was ‘no conspiracy, no cover-up’, says top pundit
Tennis pundit Mark Petchey has hit out at the “false narrative” that is being peddled in the ongoing saga involving Jannik Sinner’s failed drug tests, insisting “there is ZERO scandal in the Sinner case”.
Sinner twice tested positive for the banned clostebol in March and was hit with provisional suspensions on both occasions, but his lawyers twice launched successful appeals and he was allowed to continue playing.
There was no public announcement and the issue only came to light in August when the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) cleared the Italian of any wrongdoing as they declared he bore “no fault or negligence”.
Instead it was found that the 23-year-old was accidentally contaminated by his physio Giacomo Naldi, who has subsequently parted ways with the world No 1.
But the case took a new twist this weekend when the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) announced that it had lodged an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, stating that it would seek a ban of between one to two years.
The statement read: “It is WADA’s view that the finding of ‘no fault or negligence’ was not correct under the applicable rules.
“WADA is seeking a period of ineligibility of between one and two years. WADA is not seeking a disqualification of any results, save that which has already been imposed by the tribunal of first instance.”
Nick Kyrgios was quite critical of the original ruling from the ITIA as he felt Sinner received special treatment and he was quick to react to the WADA announcement, stating on social media: “Hahaha maybe not so innocent after all eh?”
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But tennis commentator and former coach Petchey has come to Sinner’s defence writing on X: “Just for the record there is ZERO scandal in the Sinner case.
“He and his lawyers worked within the framework of what the rules are in the situation he found himself and got a decision based on the evidence presented. No conspiracy, no cover-up.
“WADA today have looked at it and decided that they want to appeal the decision based on the ‘no fault or negligence’ was not correct under the applicable rules.
“This is how the law works every single day.”
When it was put to him that “The scandal is that Sinner got special treatment”, Petchey also dismissed those allegations.
“No he did not. False narrative and it’s exhausting to watch people being allowed to peddle this slander,” he replied.
