"There is a risk of conviction" - Ex-CAS lawyer gives his verdict on Jannik Sinner doping row
Jannik Sinner's doping case is still open as his case is heading to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which will make the final decision. A former lawyer who was employed by CAS in the past has given his verdict on what might happen with that case based on what is known so far.
Lawyer Angelo Cascella gave his opinion on the matter, and shared that there remains a possibility that Sinner does end up getting suspended from one to two years.
"Since analyses have been carried out and the existence of doping traces has been demonstrated, the athlete risks a sentence of one to two years. In these cases, there may be intent or fault or negligence. In the first case, the sentence can go up to four years of disqualification, in the second, as requested for Jannik Sinner, it goes from one to two years,” ex CAS lawyer to Sportmediaset.
The lawyer didn't say that Jannik Sinner would be punished, but added that there is a possibility that it happens. In the event that does come true, it would be a catastrophic scenario for Sinner because he would lose one or two years of his career, plus the damage his reputation would take.
Jannik Sinner's doping case timeline
In March of 2024, Sinner tested positive for a banned substance during his Indian Wells run. The Italian wasn't handed an immediate ban because he was able to produce a statistical explanation of how the substance entered his body. It happened through his physical therapist, who gave him a massage while having the substance on his hands.
He had used it to treat a cut as it's part of a medicine that is readily available in their native Italy. The case then went to an independent court, which assessed the matter and gave Sinner a minor punishment of stripping him of prize money and points won at the event.
That wouldn't be the end of it, though, as the World Anti-Doping Agency elected to appeal his case, which left Sinner "disappointed and surprised". Still, he accepted his fate and continued to focus on his tennis. The case will be heading to CAS now, the same court that gave Simona Halep her final punishment.
Her case was similar to Jannik Sinner's in that the doping happened inadvertently, but she was still handed a punishment. The same might potentially happen to Sinner too, and if it does, it might be a one to two-year ban, as the lawyer explained to Sportmediaset. The final verdict is expected sometime in 2025. For now, it remains to be seen how the situation will unfold.