The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has appealed Jannik Sinner’s doping case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), challenging the International Tennis Integrity Agency’s (ITIA) decision to clear him of fault or negligence. Sinner tested positive for clostebol, a banned substance, in two samples taken during the Indian Wells tournament in March 2024. The ITIA determined that the contamination likely resulted from a physiotherapist using a clostebol-containing cream before treating him, ruling that Sinner bore no significant fault.
WADA’s appeal focuses on the principle that athletes hold ultimate responsibility for their support teams’ actions, even in cases of unintentional contamination. Olivier Niggli, WADA’s Director General, stated that the case hinges on the legal interpretation of this responsibility and whether it aligns with established case law. WADA is seeking a one- to two-year ban for Sinner, despite not disputing the contamination claim.
The outcome of the appeal, expected in 2025, could set a precedent for how doping cases involving contamination are handled in the future.
