Rafael Nadal's uncle Toni gives clear verdict on Jannik Sinner's doping ban

Toni Nadal, director of Mallorca championships and uncle of Rafael Nadal, recently shared his views on Jannik Sinner’s three-month suspension for doing violation. Toni has been against the sanction from the beginning and has even expressed his opinion multiple times.

The World No. 1 tested positive for clostebol in March 2024. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) conducted an investigation into the issue and ruled that Sinner was innocent as it was a case of contamination. Sinner’s physio had applied a spray while treating him which did not have any performance-enhancing capabilities.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was dissatisfied with the verdict and decided to take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS), seeking a two-year ban. The hearing was supposed to take place in April 2025, but before that, Sinner accepted a three-month suspension.

At the presentation of the Mallorca Championships - an ATP 250 event, Toni Nadal vouched for the Italian’s innocence as he said (via Marca):

"I've already said it many times and explained it, I'm against the sanction. I know Sinner personally and he had no intention of committing a crime and you can't treat a person like that for a mistake that happened by chance.

“It can't be that you have that desire to supervise and sanction. You have to sanction someone who intentionally does things wrong and is looking for their own benefit. And I know that's not the case with Sinner. I know that he didn't benefit from what they found. So why do you want to sanction him?”

Toni Nadal criticized the entire system, accusing certain organizations of acting out of personal interest. He also took a swipe at some top players who have been outspoken on the issue and have pushed for Sinner to face a longer suspension.

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“Some who are not very clean” - Toni Nadal on players who are in support of the sanction

Rafael Nadal's uncle Toni Nadal - Source: Getty

After talking about Sinner’s innocence, Nadal’s uncle took a dig at some of the big players who have been seeking longer periods of ban.

Many top players like Novak Djokovic, Nick Kyrgios, Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev among others, have shown their disappointment regarding the decision. Everyone is confused about the fact that if Sinner has violated the doping rules, then why did he receive just a three-month ban.

In similar cases of contamination, Simona Halep had initially received a four-year ban which was then reduced to a nine-month suspension after appeals. Players suspect preferential treatment towards the World No. 1 and have even raised questions about his suspension period, which runs during the time no Grand Slam takes place.

Taking a jibe at the players who are vocal about an extension of the suspension, Toni Nadal said (via Marca):

“It's true that they say that others who aren't number 1 were sanctioned because they did wrong before. I'm surprised that different players have positioned themselves against it, even some at the highest level and some who are not very clean."

Toni Nadal's firm stance on the sanction and comments on the duality of some big players, raises eyebrows on the integrity of the system. It underscores the need to rejig the doping regulations that are enforced on players as even the slightest negligence can ruin the entire career of a player.