Jannik Sinner cleared of wrongdoing over two failed anti-doping tests

Jannik Sinner, the top-ranked male tennis player in the world, was able to escape a doping suspension by proving that the two positive drug tests in March were due to contamination from his physiotherapist.

After a tribunal decided last week, a group of people determined that Sinner was not at fault for testing positive for tiny amounts of clostebol, a banned steroid. The levels found in Sinner's tests were extremely low, less than a billionth of a gram. Since clostebol can be found in over-the-counter medications in Italy, many Italian athletes have also tested positive for it in the past.

"I am determined to move on from this difficult and unfortunate time," stated Sinner. "I will keep working hard to follow the ITIA's anti-doping rules, with a dedicated team supporting me in ensuring everything is done correctly."

Following Sinner's test results, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), responsible for handling issues of doping and corruption in tennis, worked with scientific professionals. After consulting with experts, ITIA brought the case to an independent tribunal, which convened last week on August 15th.

The debate centered around Sinner's fitness coach Umberto Ferrara buying Trofodermin, a spray that can be bought without a prescription to heal cuts. Sinner and his team were at a villa in Indian Wells before the Masters 1000 tournament when Giacomo Naldi, Sinner's physiotherapist, cut his finger accidentally with a scalpel on March 3rd.

Once the bandage was taken off, Naldi applied Ferrara’s Trofodermin to the wound every morning from March 5th to March 13th. Throughout that time, Naldi kept up with giving Sinner full body massages and also bandaged Sinner’s feet as needed.

The person with psoriasiform dermatitis on his feet and back is experiencing discomfort due to itchy skin, leading to small cuts and sores from scratching. He and his team believe that the condition was caused by not using gloves during treatment, resulting in contamination by Naldi. Three experts have verified this explanation as possible for the presence of clostebol metabolites.

Importantly, Sinner insists that he was unaware of Ferrara having Trofodermin or Naldi using it. The ITIA believed Sinner based on the likelihood of his claims, and the following separate tribunal found that the player had no grounds to suspect Trofodermin being present or any doping risk from his treatment with Naldi.

Karen Moorhouse, the head of the ITIA, stated: "After looking into the matter, the ITIA agreed with the player's explanation about where the clostebol came from and found that it was not on purpose. The tribunal also agreed with this. We are grateful to the independent tribunal for quickly and clearly determining the player's level of responsibility."

The ATP stated that they are pleased to confirm that Jannik Sinner was not found at fault or negligent in the investigation. They also praised the thoroughness of the process and independent review done under the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme (TADP), which has allowed him to keep competing. This situation has been tough for Jannik and his team, highlighting the importance of players and their teams being cautious with the products and treatments they use. Maintaining integrity is key in our sport.

None of the positive anti-doping tests for Sinner had been announced before. The first positive test occurred during an official competition on March 10 at Indian Wells and a small amount of a clostebol metabolite was also detected in an out-of-competition test on March 18, right before the Miami Open which Sinner ended up winning. As a result, his semi-final outcome at Indian Wells has been invalidated, along with the loss of 400 ranking points and the $325,000 (£250,000) prize money he earned.

When athletes are informed of a possible anti-doping rule violation, they are automatically put on temporary suspension. However, this suspension can be challenged and lifted if the athlete can show during a hearing that the violation may have been caused by a contaminated product or a substance commonly abused.

Sinner was temporarily banned from competing on 4 and 5 April, right after claiming victory at the Miami Open, and then again from 17 to 20 April, just before the Madrid Open. However, both bans were lifted early after Sinner made successful appeals. These brief suspensions happened during breaks in the busy clay-court season of the ATP calendar.

Some of Sinner's teammates have expressed dissatisfaction with the results: Denis Shapovalov shared, "I can't even imagine how other players who have been banned for contaminated substances are feeling at this moment."

Sinner has been performing exceptionally well on the ATP Tour this season. He won his first major title at the Australian Open and quickly climbed to the top ranking. Recently, he secured his second Masters 1000 title at the Cincinnati Open on Monday. Sinner currently has an impressive record of 48 wins and 5 losses, leading the tour in victories.