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Jannik Sinner will not compete on the ATP Tour for the next three months as the World No. 1 has agreed to a "settlement" with WADA, which necessitates that he serves a three-month suspension. The news irked a large section of the tennis community on social media on Saturday (February 15).
Sinner tested positive for the banned substance clostebol during the Indian Wells Masters last March. However, the Italian's failed doping tests were announced to the tennis universe five months later, leading to concerns regarding transparency at the sport's highest echelon.
Although the International Tennis Integrity Association had initially ruled "no fault nor negligence" in Sinner's favor allowing him to compete, WADA was set to challenge the decision in the Court of Arbitration for Sport and ask for a ban of 1-2 years at some point this year. However, it has now come out that the anti-doping outfit has settled for a three-month ban, as it believes he "didn't intend to cheat".
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Most tennis fans on X (formerly Twitter) were angered by the double standards from which the 23-year-old seemingly benefitted. One went as far as to suggest that a person of color would've faced a much harsher sentence if a prohibited performance-enhancing substance was found in their system:
"A black player was going to get a 5 year Ban"
Another suspected foul play from the ATP Tour in the doping case:
"This is all rigged by @atptour he should be stripped of his trophies. What a pathetic cheater!!!"
The Tennis Weekly Podcast wrote:
"Three months for Jannik Sinner but back in time for French Open. Very convenient timing."
A fan also directed their attention toward World No. 2 Iga Swiatek. Just like Sinner, the Pole also escaped a long doping suspension last year after testing positive for trimetazidine.
"If i speak on the timing, convenience and length of both Sinner's and Swiatek's 'punishments'," they wrote.
"Farce doesn't even begin to describe it," another said.
"Not really any sort of punishment. @NickKyrgios was right all along," a third wrote.
Here are a few more reactions from X:
"How f***ing convenient?! I’m fuming! Sinner cheater, doper loses nothing!" one fan said.
"How can you negotiate a punishment?" yet another wrote.
As a result of the latest update, Sinner has had to withdraw from the Qatar Open.
Jannik Sinner to miss the first four ATP Masters 1000 tournaments of 2025 due to doping ban
Jannik Sinner had to withdraw his name from the men's singles draw at the Qatar Open in Doha at the last moment owing to his three-month doping ban, which began on February 9. The World No. 1 will also not be able to play at the Indian Wells Masters, the Miami Masters, the Monte-Carlo Masters, and the Madrid Masters, as he is suspended till May 4.
The Italian will likely make his tour-level comeback at the Italian Open as his three-month doping ban would've ended by then.
