"Disqualification for Jannik Sinner will most certainly arrive" - Ex-tennis pro delivers concerning claim on Italian amid doping row
Former tennis player Daniele Bracciali has said Jannik Sinner is almost certain to receive a suspension once the appeal by the World Anti-Doping Agency against his doping case is heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Earlier this year, Sinner was cleared to play by the International Tennis Integrity Agency after it adjudged that the Italian's Clostebol contamination was accidental.
Sinner twice tested positive for Clostebol, a banned performance-enhancing substance, in March this year. The first test was done at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, where the Italian finished as a semifinalist. The next one was done shortly after the conclusion of the ATP Masters 1000 event.
The ITIA gave Sinner a provisional suspension, but the Italian's legal team provided evidence that he had been accidentally exposed to Clostebol by his physio at the time, Giacomo Naldi. The suspension was lifted, and Sinner continued playing. Later, an independent investigative panel was also tasked by the ITIA to look into the matter closely.
The panel concluded that the World No. 1 was not at fault for the contamination, resulting in Jannik Sinner continuing to play on the ATP Tour. However, these developments were initially kept under wraps and made public in the buildup to the 2024 US Open in August, triggering shockwaves and outrage in the tennis world.
While the controversy seemed to have died down in the following days, things became further complicated for the Italian when WADA stepped in and appealed Sinner's case to the CAS. The CAS has since confirmed that it will be hearing WADA's appeal, though it has yet to specify an exact date. Daniele Bracciali, a former World No. 49 banned from tennis for life in 2018 after being found guilty of match-fixing, said it's likely that Sinner will receive a suspension now that WADA has become involved (via Mowmag.com):
"How will the Sinner case end? Unfortunately, knowing the environment of WADA and ITIA, I believe that a disqualification will almost certainly arrive. It is not right to disqualify a tennis player if it is found that he has not taken drugs to improve performance and in the case of the Italian it really has not changed anything. Objective responsibility in this situation is a real scam."
Sinner expressed surprise at WADA's appeal, having initially believed that the judgment of the ITIA-appointed independent panel had conclusively put the controversy to rest.
Jannik Sinner after getting to know about WADA's appeal against his doping case - "I will collaborate like I did"
At a pre-tournament press conference at the 2024 Rolex Shanghai Masters, Jannik Sinner was asked about his thoughts on WADA's involvement in his doping row. The Italian expressed surprise and dismay at the development.
"I'm a bit surprised, but in another way I knew that potentially this could happen. It happened, I'm still surprised, but I will collaborate like I did before. But I'm very confident that it comes out very positively, or I would be very, very surprised if it would be the opposite side.You know, it's not a situation where I feel comfortable in, that's for sure, because I thought it was over," Jannik Sinner said.
The World No. 1 went on to clinch the Rolex Shanghai Masters title, but more recently, pulled out from the Rolex Paris Masters. His next outing is set to come at the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin, Italy in November 2024.