Jannik Sinner Cleared of Doping Charges, Keeps Playing After Indian Wells

Aug 20, 2024, 05:45 PM

Jannik Sinner, the world's top-ranked men's tennis player, has been cleared of any wrongdoing after testing positive twice for the banned substance clostebol in March 2024. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced that an independent tribunal found Sinner bore 'no fault or negligence' for the anti-doping violations. The tribunal accepted Sinner's explanation that the positive tests, which showed a trace element of clostebol less than a billionth of a gram, were due to contamination from a massage by his physiotherapist. As a result, Sinner will not face a suspension, although he was stripped of prize money and ranking points from the Indian Wells tournament. The decision has sparked reactions from the tennis community, with some players alleging double standards in the handling of doping cases.