WADA is appealing to the International Court of Justice against the acquittal of world number one Jannik Sinner in two doping offenses. It is demanding a ban for the South Tyrolean.
In March, Sinner tested positive twice for the banned anabolic steroid Clostebol. However, the Italian was not suspended. The responsible International Tennis Integrity Authority (ITIA) justified the acquittal by stating that no intentional fault or negligence on the part of Sinner could be proven.
According to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), this finding is "not correct under the applicable rules". It is therefore calling for "a ban of one to two years" for Sinner. However, the agency is not demanding an additional annulment of results in addition to those that have already been ordered by the court of first instance.
In a statement published on social media, Sinner explained that the substance had entered his body via the hands of his physiotherapist. According to the statement, the caregiver had used a spray containing Clostebol, which is available without prescription in Italy, to treat a cut on his finger.
According to the ITIA, scientific experts found Sinner's explanation credible. The tennis agency therefore refrained from suspending Sinner, at least for the time being. The decision had caused a lack of understanding within the tennis scene.
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