World No. 1 Jannik Sinner accepts three-month ban from tennis to settle doping case

Jannik Sinner has accepted a three-month ban from tennis to settle a case which has lingered over the sport for months after he twice tested positive for a banned substance, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) announced on Saturday.

The men’s world No. 1 will be banned from February 9 to May 4 after twice testing positive for banned substance Clostebol in March 2024, meaning that he will be eligible to play in the French Open – the next grand slam on the calendar.

Sinner had previously avoided suspension from competition with the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announcing in August that he wasn’t at fault for the positive tests. Two samples collected eight days apart at Indian Wells in March 2024 showed low levels of Clostebol, an anabolic steroid.

In a statement posted on social media in August, Sinner said the positive tests stemmed from “inadvertent contamination of Clostebol” through treatment from his physiotherapist. The 23-year-old also said that his physio had been applying an over-the-counter spray to their own skin – not on Sinner – to treat a small wound.

“WADA accepts that Mr. Sinner did not intend to cheat, and that his exposure to clostebol did not provide any performance-enhancing benefit and took place without his knowledge as the result of negligence of members of his entourage,” WADA said in Saturday’s statement.

“However, under the Code and by virtue of CAS precedent, an athlete bears responsibility for the entourage’s negligence. Based on the unique set of facts of this case, a three-month suspension is deemed to be an appropriate outcome.”

Following the outcome, the three-time grand slam winner accepted responsibility for the team around him.

“This case had been hanging over me now for nearly a year and the process still had a long time to run with a decision maybe only at the end of the year,” Sinner said in a statement sent by his agents to CNN.

“I have always accepted that I am responsible for my team and realize WADA’s strict rules are an important protection for the sport I love. On that basis I have accepted WADA’s offer to resolve these proceedings on the basis of a 3-month sanction.”

When contacted by CNN on Saturday, the ITIA said that WADA’s outcome supports their original findings that the breach was unintentional.

“The three-month outcome was only possible by agreement between WADA and the player,” the ITIA added.

Sinner’s lawyer Jamie Singer said in a statement to CNN that he was “delighted that Jannik can finally put this harrowing experience behind him.”

“WADA has confirmed the facts determined by the Independent Tribunal,” Singer added. “It is clear that Jannik had no intent, no knowledge, and gained no competitive advantage. Regrettably, errors made by members of his team led to this situation.”