 "Jannik Sinner had successfully defended his Australian Open title last month under the shadow of the doping controversy. Image: Reuters")
World No. 1 Jannik Sinner has been handed a three-month ban by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) following two positive drug tests in 2024. The ban means Sinner will return just in time for the French Open in May. The decision was not an easy one for the Italian star to accept, according to his lawyer.
Sinner, a three-time Grand Slam winner, tested positive for the banned anabolic steroid clostebol twice in March last year. Although Sinner was provisionally suspended, he was later cleared of any wrongdoing by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA). The ITIA accepted Sinner’s explanation that the substance entered his system accidentally through his physiotherapist, who had used a product containing clostebol during a massage.
However, WADA appealed the decision, arguing that despite Sinner not being at fault, he should still face a ban. WADA initially sought a suspension of between one and two years. The case was scheduled to be heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in April.
In a dramatic turn of events, both parties reached a settlement on 14 February, with details made public the following day. Under the agreement, Sinner accepted a three-month ban, keeping him out of tour until 4 May.
Jannik Sinner’s lawyer reveals details of negotiations with WADA
Sinner’s lawyer, Jamie Singer, has now revealed that convincing the Italian to accept WADA’s offer was “quite tricky.”
“It all happened unbelievably quickly. In a matter of a couple of days, really,” Singer told BBC Sport.
Singer stated explaining Sinner’s reluctance, “When I was saying ‘well, look, maybe we should settle for three months’, he was saying ‘well, why would we do that if the first independent tribunal found it was no ban at all? Why would I accept three months now?’”
“My advice was ‘one never knows what’s going to happen at a hearing. We know that WADA are pushing for a year. If we don’t accept their offer, then they will go to court looking for a year, and who knows what those three judges could do.’ So the possibility of three months, in my view, was a good possibility.”
With the suspension set to expire just before Roland Garros, Sinner can now focus on returning to competitive action in time for one of the biggest tournaments on the tennis calendar. The 2025 Australian Open winner will also be eligible to compete in the Italian Open.