Egregious conflict of interest surfaces in Jannik Sinner escaping drugs ban despite failed tests as Italian's lawyer has ITIA on client list
Jannik Sinner has landed in the eye of a major storm in the tennis world, as the World No. 1 escaped facing a suspension from the sport despite two failed drug tests in March during the Indian Wells Masters. The ITIA (International Tennis Integrity Agency) ruled that the Italian bore no fault for the positive tests and that he was simply the victim of an unintentional use of healing spray by his physio.
As proved by Sinner's lawyers, the spray used by the physio contained trace amounts of Clostebol, an anabolic steroid that has been banned by the WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) for stimulating muscle growth. The findings were accepted by the expert team assembled by the ITIA, who let the 23-year-old off with a £250,000 prize money penalty.
After the decision, the reigning Australian Open champion's lawyer Jamie Singer addressed the press, stating his happiness at winning the verdict.
Anti-doping rules have to be very strict to be effective. Sadly the unfortunate consequence is that, occasionally, entirely innocent athletes get caught up in them," Singer said.
“There is no question that Jannik is innocent in this case. The ITIA did not challenge that key principle. However, under strict liability rules Jannik is responsible for whatever is in his system, even when entirely unaware of it, as in this exceptional case."
Singer, it turns out, is the founding member of Onside Law, a UK-based law firm that specializes in sports law. The clients for the firm include, in addition to Sinner, the ECB (England Cricket Board), Real Madrid football star Jude Bellingham, Serie A side AC Milan, PL side West Ham, Football Australia, and Formula 1's governing body FIA. Interestingly, the law firm also has the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) as one of its major clients.
More concerning, Singer himself has the ITIA on his client list (credit to Twitter user '@tennisera' for bringing it to attention), leading to a rather questionable conflict of interest in the situation, wherein he is representing both the investigative agency and the very athlete the agency is investigating in the first place.
As of now, there has been no clarification issued about this particular matter by either Sinner's team or the ITIA.
"Jannik Sinner had no part in this at all" - Coach Darren Cahill
Meanwhile, Jannik Sinner's coach Darren Cahill has broken his silence on the failed drug test, stating to ESPN in a recent interview that the Italian had no part in this and that it was entirely the fault of the physio.
Cahill lavished praise on the World No. 1, calling him a consummate professional who did everything to make sure the ITIA investigation was not impeded in any way by his team.
"[Jannik Sinner] – everybody has to know – he had no part in this at all. Somehow, he’s tested positive through this connection with this particular spray, we don’t know how – working on his feet, massage," Darren Cahill said.
"He’s incredibly professional; he supports anti-doping; he does everything around his team to make sure something like this should not happen. They accepted how it happened; saw that it was no fault from him. They allowed him to continue to play," he added.
On the tennis court, Sinner enjoyed success last week at the Cincinnati Open, beating Frances Tiafoe in the final to win his second Masters 1000 title of the year. He will next be in action at the US Open, where he reached the fourth round last year.