"We've been living with this for a few months" - Jannik Sinner's coach Darren Cahill breaks silence; gives detailed account of Italian's doping test
Jannik Sinner’s coach, Darren Cahill, has broken his silence over the World No. 1’s “no fault” result after being embroiled in a doping test controversy. Sinner incurred a positive test for a banned substance called “Clostebol” after less than a billionth of a gram was found in two of his samples during Indian Wells 2024 in March. On Tuesday, August 20, the result came to light when it was announced that the Italian was “cleared of any wrongdoing by Independent Tribunal.”
During his recent appearance on ESPN, Cahill emphasized the seriousness of the issue, noting that the ordeal had a devasting impact on Jannik Sinner and the team.
"Not an easy period for all of us, obviously. We’ve been living with this for a few months now, knowing how serious of an issue it is," he said.
Sinner’s positive test was the consequence of his physiotherapist Giacomo Naldi and fitness coach Umberto Ferrara's negligence, who unintentionally exposed the Italian’s body to a spray (Trofodermin) containing Clostebol during Indian Wells. It should be noted that Clostebol is commonly found in over-the-counter medications in Italy.
As it turned out, the spray was used by Naldi to treat his own finger wound following Ferrara’s recommendation. The banned substance seemingly entered Jannik Sinner’s body when Naldi massaged him with his bare hands during their routine sessions.
Cahill, who previously worked with other World No. 1s such as Lleyton Hewitt, Andre Agassi, and Simona Halep, gave a detailed account of the unfortunate events that transpired before the failed test.
"I walked into the room and saw that he (Giacomo Naldi) was putting a white bandage on his finger (which he cut on scalpel used to cut off feet calluses); looked and asked him what happened. I said, ‘Is there anything we need to do?’ He said, ‘No, all good, no problem,’" he recalled.
Cahill noted that Sinner, too, questioned Naldi over the injury.
"(Jannik Sinner) saw Giacomo that night; saw for the first time that he’d cut his finger; asked him what he did; asked him if he’d used any ointments or creams or anything to put on that finger to help the heeling. He said no, which was the truth at the time."
He added that the spray in question, unbeknownst to the team, was later introduced to Naldi by Ferrera, adding “probably he should’ve never passed it to Giacomo.”
"He offered it to Giacomo – he (Ferrara) had it for personal reasons I believe."
"Over the course of the next week, Giacomo continued to use that spray to help the healing of his finger, unbeknown to any of us. With the treatments he was giving to Jannik, somehow it passed from his finger through to Jannik," he said.
Darren Cahill stressed that the reigning Australian Open champion had no part in the positive test. He added that the banned substance probably entered Sinner’s body through cuts on his own feet.
"(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."
"I take my hat off to Jannik Sinner" - Darren Cahill on how his charge maintained his composure throughout the "emotionally challenging" ordeal
Darren Cahill revealed that Jannik Sinner and the team were notified of the positive tests after his Miami Open win, following which the tennis player was briefly suspended—a decision he immediately appealed.
"Jannik got a notification after Miami that he returned a positive test from Indian Wells and straightaway, they worked it back," he said during the aforementioned interview.
Sinner’s team was immediately able to establish the cause of the positive test, tracing it back to Umberto Ferrara, whose Trofodermin purchase was verified by his bank records. It was also established by the Tribunal that the miniscule traces found in the player's sample had no impact on his performance.
"They were able to determine very quickly where it may have come from," Cahill said.
The Aussie coach explained how Jannik Sinner’s legal team addressed the issue expeditiously, which helped the Italian resume his campaign.
"To get that suspension lifted, Jannik’s team had to have an emergency meeting and the story was told exactly how it happened. He’s (Sinner) 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."
"It stayed quiet because he was innocent firstly, and there was no fault from anything he’d done. That’s what Sports Resolutions applied to us as well – that he could continue to play," he added.
Jannik Sinner won his second Masters 1000 title of the season at the Cincinnati Open on Monday, August 19. Cahill recalled that, behind the scenes, the team, including the tennis player, was attending emergency calls regarding the ordeal.
"We were all interviewed. Even last week. Jannik played his first round on Wednesday and then he sat on a zoom call throughout the entire hearing with three panel members from Sports Resolutions. They went through it for six and a half hours," he recalled.
"There was a lot riding on the fact that if this thing got out without context, that was not great either," Darren Cahill added.
The coach applauded Jannik Sinner for putting on a brave face and producing exceptional results despite his emotional turmoil.
"He’s been one who’s suffered through this the most," Cahill said. "I take my hat off to him that he’s been able to post some of the results that he has. But there have been days where you can see that he’s physically and emotionally been challenged on the court."
When asked about any changes to the team, Cahill conveyed that Jannik Sinner would be accompanied by only him and his other coach, Simone Vagnozzi, during the 2024 US Open campaign, where he is chasing his second Grand Slam title and sixth trophy of the season. The decision regarding Giacomo Naldi and Umberto Ferrara’s (responsible for the World No. 1’s anti-doping, diet, and physical training) positions moving forward has yet to be reached, according to Cahill.