World number one Jannik Sinner has been cleared of any wrongdoing after twice testing positive for a banned substance in March. The 23-year-old Italian tennis star tested positive for low levels of a metabolite of clostebol, a steroid used to build muscle mass, during the Indian Wells tournament. A subsequent sample taken eight days later also tested positive for the same substance.
Sinner was provisionally suspended following the positive tests, but successfully challenged the suspension, allowing him to continue playing. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) conducted a thorough investigation and determined that the substance entered Sinner’s system inadvertently through his physiotherapist, Giacomo Naldi. Naldi had used an over-the-counter spray containing clostebol on a cut on his own hand and then treated Sinner without washing his hands.
The ITIA accepted that Sinner was unaware of the substance’s presence and that the violation was unintentional. An independent tribunal cleared Sinner of any fault or negligence last week, but he will lose the ranking points and prize money from his semi-final run at Indian Wells.
Sinner expressed relief in a statement, saying, “I will now put this challenging and deeply unfortunate period behind me.” He emphasized his commitment to complying with the ITIA’s anti-doping program and credited his team for their meticulous approach to compliance.
The decision not to sanction Sinner has sparked criticism on social media from players like Nick Kyrgios, Liam Broady, and Denis Shapovalov. Despite the controversy, Sinner remains focused on his upcoming matches, including his role as the top seed at the US Open, which begins on Monday.
The ITIA’s chief executive, Karen Moorhouse, emphasized that the organization takes any positive test “extremely seriously” and thanked the independent tribunal for its swift decision. Sinner’s lawyer, Jamie Singer, reiterated that Sinner was entirely innocent, highlighting the challenges of strict anti-doping rules.
The ATP Tour acknowledged the importance of integrity in the sport and urged players and their teams to exercise the utmost care in using products or treatments.
