World number one Jannik Sinner has accepted a three-month suspension from professional tennis following a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) over his two positive drug tests in 2024.
The 23-year-old Italian, who won the Australian Open last month, will be suspended from February 9 to May 4 but will be eligible to compete in the French Open, starting on May 19.
WADA had initially appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against the International Tennis Integrity Agency’s (ITIA) 2024 decision not to suspend Sinner.
The agency sought a ban of up to two years but later accepted his explanation that he had been inadvertently contaminated with the banned substance clostebol by his physiotherapist. Consequently, the case will not proceed further.
In a statement, WADA clarified that it acknowledges Sinner “did not intend to cheat,” that the substance “did not provide any performance-enhancing benefit,” and that the incident occurred “without his knowledge as a result of negligence by members of his entourage.”
However under anti-doping regulations and CAS precedent, athletes bear responsibility for their support team’s actions. Given these circumstances, a three-month suspension was deemed appropriate.
Sinner expressed relief in a statement issued by his lawyers, stating, “This case had been hanging over me for nearly a year, and the process could have dragged on until the end of the year.
I accept that I am responsible for my team and understand WADA’s strict rules, which protect the integrity of the sport I love.
On this basis, I have accepted WADA’s offer to resolve these proceedings with a three-month sanction.”
Tennis has seen several high-profile doping cases recently, including former world number one Iga Swiatek, who accepted a one-month suspension in November after testing positive for a banned substance.
Sinner’s case, however stands out due to his current ranking and the circumstances surrounding his contamination.
With his suspension ending before the clay-court season’s peak, Sinner is expected to make a strong return to competition at the French Open, where he will aim to continue his dominance on the ATP Tour.
