Sinner on WADA appealing his drugs exoneration to CAS: “I have nothing to hide”

WADA is seeking a ban of between one and two years

Antoine Couvercelle / Panoramic

September 28, 2024

Jannik Sinner insists he has nothing to hide and will co-operate fully with the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) after it was revealed it is to appeal his exoneration of guilt, after he twice tested positive for a banned drug earlier this year, to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

The world No 1 said he was disappointed at the news that Wada is to appeal and is seeking a ban of between one and two years for the Italian, stating that it believes the original tribunal was “not correct under the applicable rule”.

WADA appeals case of tennis player Jannik Sinner. Read more here: https://t.co/vExHGdmkZG
— WADA (@wada_ama) September 28, 2024

Sinner spoke briefly about the news after his match at the China Open on Saturday but later expanded on his thoughts in a statement issued by his management.

“I am disappointed to hear that WADA have chosen to appeal the result of my ITIA hearing after the independent judges had exonerated me and deemed me to be innocent,” he said.

“Over the past few months and throughout this process there have been three separate hearings in each case confirming my innocence. Several months of interviews and investigations culminated in three senior judges scrutinising every detail through a formal hearing. They issued an in-depth judgement explaining why they determined me not at fault, with clear evidence provided and my cooperation throughout.

“On the back of such a robust process both the ITIA and the Italian anti-doping authority accepted it and waived their rights to appeal. I understand these things need to be thoroughly investigated to maintain the integrity of the sport we all love. However, it is difficult to see what will be gained by asking a different set of three judges to look at the same facts and documentation all over again.

“This being said, I have nothing to hide, and as I have done throughout the summer, I will cooperate fully with the appeal process and provide whatever may be needed to prove my innocence once again. As the case is now pending before CAS, I won’t comment further.”

Sinner given no-fault ruling

Sinner tested positive twice for low levels of Clostobol, a banned drug, during the Indian Wells Masters in March. He appealed successfully against provisional suspensions, on both occasions, and was allowed to continue playing.

Though he did not play at the Olympics, because of tonsillitis, he then won the US Open, just a couple of weeks after the announcement that he had avoided a ban, the tribunal accepting his argument that the drug must have entered his system by cross-contamination via his physio, who had used a spray containing Clostobol for a cut, the drug then entering his system through a massage.