Big guns rebuff tennis doping system

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AFP) — World No. 5 Jessica Pegula believes the handling of high-profile doping cases involving Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek has shown that the “process is completely broken.”

And top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka admits she cannot trust the tennis anti-doping system and has become “too scared” of it.

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.

Sinner was facing a potential ban of two years after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against his initial exoneration by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), announced in August.

In a surprising move, WADA withdrew its appeal and came to an agreement with Sinner to accept a three-month ban.

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

Swiatek accepted a one-month ban after testing positive for the banned heart drug trimetazidine late last year.

The 23-year-old Pole had pulled out of the WTA’s Asian swing in September-October citing “personal matters.”

Pegula, last year’s US Open finalist and a member of the WTA Players’ Council, said the inconsistencies in the way cases are being processed and judged is creating an unfair environment for all tennis players.

“I think my reaction is that, whether you think he did or you don’t, or whatever side you’re on, the process just seems to be completely not a process,” the American told reporters in Dubai on Sunday.