Jannik Sinner ‘surprised’ as world No 1 reacts to WADA doping appeal
Jannik Sinner has admitted he is “very disappointed and surprised” that WADA has decided to appeal the ITIA’s decision regarding his doping case.
It was announced on Saturday that the World Anti-Doping Agency would contest the International Tennis Integrity Association’s decision to not ban the world No 1, who twice tested positive for the banned steroid clostebol back in March.
Sinner was found to be of “no fault or negligence” by the ITIA and was stripped of his Indian Wells prize money and rankings, with the first of his two failed tests coming during that event.
However, while WADA is not contesting the “no fault” aspect of the ruling, the body does believe that the Italian’s punishment should have been more severe.
Sinner was on court at the China Open when the news was announced, coming from a set down to beat Roman Safiullin 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 and keep his title defence alive.
And, speaking after the match, the 23-year-old said the news had come as a “surprise” to him and his team.
He said: “Well, we cannot control everything, no?
“Obviously I’m very disappointed and also surprised of this appeal, to be honest, because we had three hearings.
“All three hearings came out very positively for me. You know, I was not expecting it. I knew it a couple of days ago, that they were going to appeal, that today it’s going to go official, so…
“But yeah, it’s a surprise. We always talk about the same thing. Maybe they just want to make sure that everything is in the right position. Yeah, I’m just surprised that they appealed.”
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The initial ruling on Sinner’s case came back in August, just one day after he had won the Cincinnati Open.
The investigation and positive tests had not been made public knowledge until that point, with Sinner able to appeal both initial suspensions.
Sinner and his entourage were able to successfully argue that he had inadvertently been contaminated with clostebol by ex-physio Giacomo Naldi, who had used a skin cream containing the steroid to treat one of his own cuts.
The Italian has since gone on to win the US Open in the aftermath of the initial ruling, but could face a ban of up to two years should WADA be successful in their appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
In a statement, they said: “The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) confirms that on Thursday 26 September, it lodged an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in the case of Italian tennis player, Jannik Sinner, who was found by an independent tribunal of the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) to bear no fault or negligence having twice tested positive for clostebol, a prohibited substance, in March 2024.
“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.
“As this matter is now pending before CAS, WADA will make no further comment at this time.”
