Jannik Sinner’s failed drug tests: Jimmy Connors doubts tennis will ‘survive’ if Italian is banned

Ewan West
Jimmy Connors has discussed Jannik Sinner's anti-doping case
(L-R) Jimmy Connors and Jannik Sinner

Tennis legend Jimmy Connors has proclaimed that he does not think tennis could “survive” Jannik Sinner receiving a ban for his failed anti-doping tests.

The former world No 1 feels the sport’s authorities have shown in the past that “they are not afraid to hit lower ranked players and discard them from the game.”

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) revealed in August that Sinner had avoided a ban for failing two anti-doping tests in March after an independent tribunal ruled he was not to blame.

The Italian tested positive for clostebol, a banned anabolic steroid, on March 10 and 18 — during and after the Indian Wells Masters.

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

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It was announced earlier this month that the World Anti-Doping Agency had appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, seeking to impose a ban of up to two years on the world No 1.

A statement from WADA said: “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.”

Speaking on an episode of the Advantage Connors podcast, Connors

“It’s his escape. Once he is out on that court he has too much to think about. His own game, his opponent. He knows what it is going to take to win,” said the eight-time Grand Slam champion.

“But what do you do for the other 20 hours over the rest of the day? I am not so close to it that I understand just what a grain of salt of that does. And to be honest, that’s not my style to be a part of that.

“Listen, all I know is that I don’t think tennis at that level could survive that to hit a top player.

“They have shown in the past that they are not afraid to hit lower ranked players and discard them from the game. But I don’t know if tennis at that level could take it.”

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