Sinner ends doping drama, accepts ban

MILAN, Italy (AFP) — Jannik Sinner’s long doping saga came to an end on Saturday after he agreed to a three-month ban from tennis, the world No. 1 admitting “partial responsibility” for team mistakes which led to him twice testing positive for traces of clostebol in March last year.

The 9 February to 4 May suspension means Sinner will be free to play in the French Open, the second Grand Slam of the season, which begins on 25 May at Roland Garros.

In a statement, Sinner said that the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) accepted that he “had no intent and did not derive any competitive advantage from the two positive tests” of the banned substance.

Australian Open champion Sinner has always said that clostebol entered his system when his physiotherapist used a spray containing it to treat a cut before providing a massage and sports therapy.

“This case had been hanging over me now for nearly a year and the process still had a long time to run with a decision maybe only at the end of the year,” Sinner said.

“I have always accepted that I am responsible for my team and realize WADA’s strict rules are an important protection for the sport I love. On that basis I have accepted WADA’s offer to resolve these proceedings on the basis of a three-month sanction.”

WADA said separately that “Sinner did not intend to cheat” but that he would serve his suspension as he is responsible for the actions of his entourage.”

Sport’s global doping watchdog confirmed it was withdrawing its appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which was due to hear the case in April.

The agreement between Sinner and WADA also means that Sinner will be able to play in front of his home fans at the Rome Open which kicks off just after the end of his suspension and is the last big clay-court tournament before Roland Garros.

Saturday’s announcement brings to an end a controversy which has followed Sinner everywhere just as he rose to become the top player in men’s tennis and a multiple Grand Slam winner.

Sinner was facing a potential ban of two years after WADA appealed to CAS against his initial exoneration by the International Tennis Integrity Agency, announced in August.

The positive tests were not initially made public while the ITIA investigation was ongoing and Sinner had been allowed to carry on playing after successfully appealing provisional suspensions.

“We were satisfied that the player had established the source of the prohibited substance and that the breach was unintentional. Today’s outcome supports this finding,” said the ITIA on Saturday.