World number one, Jannik Sinner has been cleared of wrongdoing by an independent tribunal after failing two drug tests in March, the International Tennis Integrity Authority announced on Tuesday.
The tribunal convened by Sport Resolutions accepted the Italian’s explanation that the anabolic agent clostebol entered his system from a member of his support team through massages and sports therapy, the ITIA said in a statement.
It added that Sinner bears no fault or negligence after his physio Giacomo Naldi applied an over-the-counter spray containing clostebol to his own skin to treat a small finger wound caused by a scalpel used to treat foot calluses.
According to the evidence, Naldi then administered massages to Sinner between March 5-13 without using gloves, unaware that the product he had used on his cut contained clostebol.
Sinner’s first positive sample was taken on March 10 with a second eight days later.
Provisional suspensions are normally applied in such circumstances under the WADA code, but Sinner was allowed to continue playing after his team filed urgent appeals stating that he had been the victim of contamination.
The ITIA, following consultation with scientific experts, agreed that Sinner’s explanation was credible and lifted the provisional suspension ahead of its investigation.
The statement reads: “After each positive test, a provisional suspension was applied. On both occasions, Sinner successfully appealed the provisional suspension and so has been able to continue playing,
“However, in line with the WADC (World Anti-Doping Code) and TADP (Tennis Anti-Doping Programme), Sinner’s results, prize money and ranking points from the ATP Masters 1000 event at Indian Wells, where the player tested positive in competition for clostebol, are disqualified.”
Sinner Cleared After Testing Positive For Banned Substance is first published on The Whistler Newspaper