Why Isn’t World Number One Jannik Sinner Being Banned For Doping?

Men’s world number one, Jannik Sinner, has been cleared of any wrongdoing and has avoided a lengthy ban from playing tennis despite failing two anti-doping tests back in March.

Jannik Sinner continued his excellent season with another title triumph in mid-August, defeating the likes of Alex Michelsen, Jordan Thompson, Andrey Rublev, Alexander Zverev, and Francis Tiafoe on his way to winning the Cincinnati Open on the ATP Tour.

It became the Italian’s fifth title throughout the calendar year, however the world number one was in the headlines for different reasons this week, as he has been embroiled in an anti-doping case after failing two tests back in March.

An announcement on 20 August revealed that the 23-year-old had received an anti-doping sanction and that he had been stripped of his £250,000 in winnings as well as 400 points from his semi-final finish at the Indian Wells tournament for returning two positive tests for clostebol, a banned anabolic steroid.

Despite this, Sinner hasn’t been issued with a further ban from competing by the International Tennis Integrity Agency, with the ruling stating that there was “no fault or negligence” on his part.

Why Isn’t Jannik Sinner Being Banned For Doping?

Following Sinner’s positive tests back in March, the ITIA consulted with scientific experts and took the case to the independent tribunal on 15 August, where the Italian was cleared of any wrongdoing.

It was revealed that 121 picrograms per millilitre and 122 picrograms per millilitre of clostebol were found present in his positive tests, which equates to less than a billionth of a gram.

Sinner argued that the substance found its way into his system due to his fitness trainer Umberto Ferrara purchasing Trofodermin, a spray that can be bought over-the-counter to heal cuts, and his physiotherapist, Giacomo Naldi, using the spray on his finger after he had accidentally cut it with a scalpel.

Trofodermin was used on the cut every morning between 5 and 13 March, a period in which Naldi gave Sinner full body massages and bandaged the world number one’s feet.

Due to Sinner having a skin condition called psoriasiform dermatitis on his feet and back, which, when scratched, can cause small cuts and sores, the Italian argued that he had been contaminated due to Naldi’s treatment, as he had not used gloves.

This scenario was confirmed as a plausible explanation as to why clostebol may have been in his system by three scientific experts.

The ITIA’s chief executive, Karen Moorhouse, said in a statement: “Following that investigation, the ITIA accepted the player’s explanation as to the source of the clostebol and that the presence of the substance was not intentional. This was also accepted by the tribunal. We thank the independent tribunal for the speed and clarity of its decision in relation to the player’s degree of fault.”

Nick Kyrgios Slams ‘Ridiculous’ Decision: “You Should Be Gone For Two Years”

Upon the news of Sinner escaping a ban being released, Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios took to X (formerly Twitter) to slam the decision, branding the ruling as ‘ridiculous’.

He wrote, “Ridiculous – whether it was accidental or planned. You get tested twice with a banned (steroid) substance… you should be gone for 2 years. Your performance was enhanced. Massage cream…. Yeah nice.”

Ridiculous – whether it was accidental or planned. You get tested twice with a banned (steroid) substance… you should be gone for 2 years. Your performance was enhanced. Massage cream…. Yeah nice 🙄 https://t.co/13qR0F9nH2

— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) August 20, 2024

A fan responded, claiming that Sinner’s performances were not enhanced, as the Italian had such minimal traces of the substance in his system, to which Kyrgios questioned why the ITIA would take his Indian Wells winnings and points away if that was the case.

“Then why did they take prize money and points from Indian wells? So he did something wrong or he didn’t? Because they did say he failed 2 tests.”

Then why did they take prize money and points from Indian wells? So he did something wrong or he didn’t? Because they did say he failed 2 tests.

— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) August 20, 2024