Tim Henman gives Jannik Sinner ‘cheating’ view as suspension verdict looms
Jannik Sinner is facing an anxious wait as he prepares for a Court of Arbitration for Sport appearance in April that could result in a lengthy suspension from tennis for the world No 1.
Sinner failed two doping tests last March after the anabolic steroid clostebol was found to be in his system and suggested the product had been transferred to him after a member of his team gave him a massage after using a cream that contained the banned substance.
He successfully argued that he was not responsible for the clostebol entering his system, with the International Tennis Integrity Agenda (ITIA) finding in Sinner’s favour and not banning the Italian for the positive test.
That decision has been appealed by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), with their case set to be heard between April 16-17.
The tennis world will hold its breath ahead of that verdict and former British No 1 Tim Henman has suggested the sport has been damaged by a series of high-profile failed doping tests over the last few years.
Former world No 1 Simona Halep was banned after she recorded a positive doping test and was eventually successful in proving her case was due to a contaminated supplement.
Five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek also failed a doping test last year, as she also successfully proved the source of the banned substance came from a contaminated sleeping drug and served a one-month suspension.
“It hasn’t been a good look for the sport, especially when you throw in the Swiatek and Halep cases,” said Sky Sports Tennis analyst Henman.
“There is this legal process, but it’s frustrating for the sport and the fans that this process started last year and we are going to get a decision in April. That’s too long.
“Personally, in all those cases, I don’t think in any way that the players are trying to cheat. However, we have to get to the outcome quicker than that.
“I’m amazed that Sinner has been able to play such good tennis with that cloud over his head.
“What the outcome is going to be, I don’t know. We need to get to one final conclusion ASAP.”
While Sinner’s legal team may be confident of defending their client at the WADA appeal hearing, the harsh reality of this case may be that the Italian is facing a long suspension from tennis even if he proves he was not entirely to blame for the clostebol entering his system.
One word in the ruling could be the difference between a suspension of up to two years for Sinner and a clearance for him to continue his career.
That word is ‘significant’ as the initial ruling from the ITIA concluded that Sinner had ‘no fault or negligence’ for the positive doping test, ensuring he did not face a long ban.
WADA have suggested the verdict should have been ‘no significant fault or negligence’, going back to the position that all athletes are responsible for substances found in their urine samples.
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In an exclusive interview with Tennis365, ITIA CEO Karen Moorhouse explained why the minimum punishment the Italian could receive would be a one-year suspension if the decision goes against him.
“If you test positive for a banned substance, your starting point for a possible sanction is four years,” Moorhouse explained in her extensive Tennis365 interview.
“If you can demonstrate that it was not intentional, that reduces to two years. Then, if you can prove there was no fault, there is no sanction.
“In addition, a decision of ‘no significant fault or negligence’ could fall between a reprimand and two years. That applies to any cases around a contaminated substance.
“It’s the same rules and the same processes for every player. All cases are different and each case turns on individual facts.
“The complication with the Sinner case is the positive test was not a result of a contaminated product. That is the difference between Swiatek and Halep. There is no contamination here.
“The product that the masseuse used on his finger was not contaminated. That is exactly what it said the product contained on the packaging.
“And so because it is not a contaminated product, the range for a sanction is one year to two years.”
Henman’s hope that the Sinner case reaches a swift conclusion will be shared by most in the tennis bubble, as this story continues to be a huge talking point almost a year after it began.
Sinner’s presence at the top of the ATP Rankings and as the outstanding player in the men’s game adds to the hype that will build up around the CAS hearing in April, with a widespread expectation that he will be banned for a lengthy period representing a big problem for the sport.
The image of tennis is on the line and a suspension for Sinner will resonate with an audience outside of the sport, with the damage it would do to Sinner’s legacy hard to quantify.
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