Jannik Sinner doping ban: After seeking 2-year ban, WADA explains why they settled for 3-month suspension

Fresh details about Jannik Sinner's doping ban have been revealed by World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) spokesperson James Fitzgerald. He has opened up about why the organization settled for a three-month ban after initially seeking up to two years.

WADA announced their appeal of the International Tennis Integrity Agency's (ITIA) 'no-fault' verdict for Sinner in September 2024. They were seeking a ban for up to two years.

The appeal was set to be heard in CAS in April 2025, however, in February, Sinner and WADA announced that they were settling with the World No. 1 accepting a three-month ban. According to Fitzgerald, the organization rethought its stance and concluded that a ban of even 12 months would be 'excessively severe.'

"The facts of this case were truly unique and different from other cases involving administration by athlete support personnel...Through its thorough review of the case, WADA verified and agreed that the athlete's scenario was scientifically plausible and well-documented on the facts," Fitzgerald explained in La Stampa (via Corriere della Sera).

"Indeed, the athlete's scenario had previously been accepted by the ITIA and the independent tribunal that decided the case at first instance. Taking into account, in particular, the level of severity of the violation, given the specific facts, WADA considered that a sanction of 12 months would be excessively severe."

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WADA chief explained why they pushed for the lengthy ban against Jannik Sinner in the first place

Jannik Sinner at the 2025 Australian Open (Credits: Getty)

Jannik Sinner tested positive for clostebol twice in March 2024. In his explanation, the Italian revealed that he was inadvertently contaminated by his trainer through a massage. His trainer was nursing a cut on his own finger with a cream that contained clostebol and a transdermal contamination occurred.

Comparing the situation to the doping case of 23 Chinese swimmers, where the swimmers were exonerated, WADA Director General Olivier Niggli explained the difference.

"The main difference, I would say, is that in one case, you eat a meal and end up testing positive for a tiny quantity of a substance. In the other case, you got your own employee, who has a responsibility and on whom you also have a responsibility, who seems to have made a mistake," Niggli said.

"There is precedence, and the rules are such that you, as an athlete, have a responsibility to ensure that those surrounding you are also accountable. That’s the reality of the system," he added.

Jannik Sinner is banned from competing till May 4, 2025. He will miss 12 ATP Tour-level events, including four Masters 1000 events, but will return before the Italian Open.