How Jannik Sinner's doping test case was analyzed: WADA chief reveals fresh details of severe investigation that led to 'nothing being found'

New details have surfaced about Jannik Sinner’s doping case after WADA’s General Counsel, Ross Wenzel, spoke in a recent interview. He shared that Sinner’s samples from March 2023 were re-examined, and no banned substances were found.

In 2024, Sinner tested positive for clostebol twice in March but the case was made public in August. At the time, an independent tribunal ruled that the 23-year-old bore "no fault or negligence."

But WADA wasn’t satisfied. In September, they appealed the ruling, pushing for a one to two-year ban. The case was supposed to be heard by CAS in April 2025, but surprisingly, WADA and Sinner reached a settlement in February which saw the Italian suspended for three months.

The settlement didn’t sit well with everyone. Many accused WADA of favoritism, arguing that other athletes might not have been given the same leniency.

Wenzel defended his organization's handling of the case, saying they conducted a thorough scientific investigation and consulted multiple experts. In a new revelation, he also shared that WADA re-tested all of Sinner’s samples from the past year, and not a single one contained traces of the banned substance.

"All the samples of the tests taken by Sinner in the 12 months preceding the two positives of March last year were checked . The aim was to look for any similar clue, any possible trace of the incriminated substance in all the samples," he told Sky Italy.

"The response from all the laboratories on such a large number of samples was that nothing was found. Whatever people may think of this case, it is clear that this is not a case of doping or improper conduct . I think it is necessary to understand this fact well," he added.

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Jannik Sinner's lawyer slams calls of 'favoritism', claims criticism is 'unfair'

Jannik Sinner at the 2025 Australian Open - Source: Getty

Jannik Sinner's lawyer Jamie Singer, also interviewed by Sky, clapped back at the calls of 'favoritism' in favor of Sinner and claimed it 'unfair.'

"I think tennis players are always hawkish when another player is involved in a similar situation and try to hide when they are involved," Singer said. "This is all very unfair. Jannik Sinner was judged in a 'textbook' trial from the beginning. There was no favoritism. It was just the circumstances of his positive test that were very unusual."

The tennis world went into a frenzy after Sinner's three-month ban was announced. While the likes of Nick Kyrgios and Liam Broady criticized the decision, Carlos Alcaraz, Boris Becker, and Martina Navratilova defended the World No. 1.

Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic, during his media duties in Qatar, claimed:

"I spoke with several players in the locker room, not only in the last few days but also in the previous months. Most of them are not satisfied with how the whole process has gone, and they don't think it's fair. Many of them believe there was favoritism."

Jannik Sinner's ineligibility period runs from February 9 to May 4, 2025, forcing him to miss 12 ATP Tour-level events. However, the World No. 1 will return in time for his home Masters 1000 event, the Italian Open, and next Grand Slam, the Roland Garros.