Tennis: WADA appeals doping acquittal of Jannik Sinner

WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) has confirmed that, on 26 September 2024, it has filed an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in the case of the Italian tennis player, Jannik Sinner, who was found by an independent tribunal of the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), on 19 August 2024, to bear no fault or negligence having twice tested positive, in March 2024, for clostebol, an anabolic agent which is prohibited under Section S1 of the WADA Prohibited List. 

WADA claims that the finding of “no fault or negligence” was not correct under the applicable rules and is seeking the imposition by CAS of a period of ineligibility of between one and two years on the player.

However, WADA is not seeking a disqualification of any results, except what has already been imposed by the tribunal of first instance, convened by Sport Resolutions, London, United Kingdom.

As this matter is now pending before CAS, WADA has stated that it will not make any further comments at the present time.

The WADA appeal against the finding in favour of the twenty-three-year-old ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) world number 1 singles tennis player has come as a surprise to the player and to the ITIA, which is an independent body established by its tennis members “to promote, encourage, enhance, and safeguard the integrity of the members’ professional tennis events worldwide.” 

In fact, Karen Moorhouse, ITIA CEO, stated:

“We take any positive test extremely seriously and will always apply the rigorous processes set out by WADA. The ITIA carried out a thorough investigation into the circumstances leading to the positive tests with which Mr Sinner and his representatives fully co-operated.”

And she added: 

“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.”  

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