Carlos Alcaraz addresses Jannik Sinner doping ban as he makes world No 1 statement

Ewan West 16 Feb 2025 2:43 PM

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner

Carlos Alcaraz has given his reaction to the news of Jannik Sinner’s ban from tennis for his failed doping tests in 2024.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced in August that Sinner was free to play as he carried “no fault or negligence” after testing positive for the anabolic steroid clostebol twice in March.

An independent tribunal accepted Sinner’s explanation that the substance had entered his body when receiving a massage from his former physio, Giacomo Naldi, who had used a spray containing the steroid to treat a cut on his finger.

In September, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) over the verdict, seeking to impose a ban of between one and two years on the world No 1.

The appeal was set to be heard in April, but WADA revealed on Saturday that it had reached an agreement with Sinner’s legal team for the Italian to serve a suspension from February 9 to May 4.

Sinner was due to play for the first time since winning the 2025 Australian Open at the ATP 500 tournament in Doha, which will begin on February 17. However, the three-time Grand Slam winner has been forced to withdraw due to the ban.

Alcaraz, who will be the top seed at the Qatar Open in Sinner’s absence, was asked about his rival being banned from the tour.

“As for the sanction, there is little to say,” the world No 3 said in an interview with AS.

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“Whether Jannik plays or not, we try to do well in every tournament because number one is an objective.

“Right now, as always, we are trying to focus on what we have to train, on what we have to improve, and from there we are going to do our best in the tournaments to try to get closer to number one.”

In a statement announcing the news, WADA said: “The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) confirms that it has entered into a case resolution agreement in the case of Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner, with the player accepting a three-month period of ineligibility for an anti-doping rule violation that led to him testing positive for clostebol, a prohibited substance, in March 2024.

“In September, WADA lodged an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in the case of Mr. Sinner, who had been found by an Independent Tribunal to bear no fault or negligence.

“Notwithstanding this appeal, the circumstances surrounding this specific case meant that in order to ensure a fair and appropriate outcome, WADA was prepared to enter into a settlement agreement, in accordance with Article 10.8.2 of the World Anti-Doping Code.

“WADA accepts the athlete’s explanation for the cause of the violation as outlined in the first instance decision. WADA accepts that Mr. Sinner did not intend to cheat, and that his exposure to clostebol did not provide any performance-enhancing benefit and took place without his knowledge as the result of negligence of members of his entourage.

“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. As previously stated, WADA did not seek a disqualification of any results, save that which was previously imposed by the tribunal of first instance.

“The International Tennis Federation and International Tennis Integrity Agency, both co-respondents to WADA’s CAS appeal, neither of which appealed the first-instance decision, both accepted the case resolution agreement.

“Under the terms of the agreement, Mr. Sinner will serve his period of ineligibility from 9 February 2025 to 11:59 pm on 4 May 2025 (which includes a credit for four days previously served by the athlete while he was under a provisional suspension). As per the Code Article 10.14.2, Mr. Sinner may return to official training activity from 13 April 2025.

“In light of the case resolution agreement, WADA has formally withdrawn its appeal to CAS.”