Unanswered Question Key to Sinner Case

By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Wednesday, September 4, 2024
Photo credit: Corleve/Mark Peterson

NEW YORK—Roger Federer believes Jannik Sinner’s explanation of how a banned steroid entered his system.

The Swiss superstar said questions of consistency in anti-doping protocol has sparked controversy in Sinner’s case.

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Talking to Today Show host and avid tennis fan Savannah Guthrie, Federer said he understands the frustration some players have expressed over how Sinner’s case was handled.

“I understand the frustration of, ‘Has he been treated the same as others?'” Federer told Today Show. “And I think this is where it comes down to.”

World No. 1 Sinner provided a urine sample at Indian Wells on March 10, 2024, which contained the presence of a metabolite of clostebol “at low levels,” the ITIA announced. A further sample, conducted out of competition eight days later, also tested positive for the same metabolite.

The ITIA said after each positive test, a provisional suspension was applied to Sinner.

“On both occasions, Sinner successfully appealed the provisional suspension and so has been able to continue playing,” the ITIA said.  

Sinner said he was contaminated by the banned substance, clostebol, through contact with his physiotherapist and has adamantly denied cheating.

Some players charged there is a double standard at work in that Sinner was permitted to continue playing for six months before the ITIA announced it’s finding of “No fault” in his case whereas Simona Halep’s claim of inadvertent contamination was initially rejected and she was not permitted to play. Halep took her case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and won a shortened sentence on appeal.

Twenty-time Grand Slam champion Federer said while he trusts the anti-doping testing, the inconsistency of the process raises questions.

“I think we all trust pretty much that Jannik didn’t do anything, but the inconsistency potentially that he didn’t have to sit out while they weren’t 100 percent sure what was going on, I think that’s the question here that needs to be answered,” Federer said. “But look, it is what it is, and we need to trust the process as well of anyone involved here.”

Conceding he was “worried” he could be banned, Sinner said he was also confident he would be cleared because he believes the minute trace amounts of clostebol in his system reinforce his claim of inadvertent contamination.

“Of course I was worried, because it was the first time for me, you know, and hopefully the last time that I am in this situation, position,” Sinner said. “There also a different part we have to see is the amount I had in my body, which is 0.000000001, so there are a lot of zeroes before coming up a 1.

“So I was worried, of course, because I’m always the player who was working very, very carefully in this. I believe I’m a fair player on and off the court.”

The ITIA said it conducted multiple extensive interviews with Sinner and his team as part of its investigation. The ITIA referred the case to an independent tribunal to consider the specific facts and determine what, if any, fault Sinner bore for the positive tests.

After an August 15th hearing, the independent tribunal determined a finding of “No Fault or Negligence applied in the case, resulting in no period of ineligibility.”

However, Sinner’s results, prize money and ranking points from the ATP Masters 1000 event at Indian Wells, where he tested positive in competition for clostebol, are disqualified.

“It’s not something we want to see in our sport, these types of news, regardless if he did something or not, or any player did,” Federer told Savannah Guthrie on Today Show. “It’s just noise that we don’t want.”