World No 1 Jannik Sinner has denied allegations that he was given special treatment – and insists his conscience is clean – after he avoided a ban despite failing two drugs tests earlier this year.
The Italian has found himself at the center of storm just days out from the US Open after it emerged that he twice tested positive for banned anabolic steroid clostebol back in March.
Some of Sinner’s fellow players have reacted angrily to the news, suggesting there is one rule for the world’s best players and another rule for everyone else.
The world No 1 has split with his fitness coach and physiotherapist – the two men at the heart of the scandal. And on Friday, he reiterated his innocence in New York – despite attempts of US Open organizers to prevent multiple questions on the subject.
‘Of course I was worried, because it was the first time for me, you know, and hopefully the last time that I am in this situation,’ Sinner continued. ‘I believe I’m a fair player on and off the court… in my mind I know that I haven’t done anything wrong.’
World No 1 Jannik Sinner has denied allegations that he was given special treatment
It recently emerged that he twice tested positive for banned anabolic steroid clostebol
Sinner insisted he ‘always will respect these rules of anti-doping’ and denied that he has been treated as a special case. ‘Every player who gets tested positive has to go through the same process. There is no shortcut, there is no different treatment,’ he said.
‘I know sometimes the frustration of other players obviously. But maybe because they got suspended is they didn’t know exactly where it comes from, also what substance, but the main reason is where it comes from and how it entered in his own system.’
A tribunal accepted Sinner’s defense that the contamination occurred during a massage from his physiotherapist who, it was argued, used a spray – bought by Sinner’s fitness coach – to heal a cut.
‘Now, because of these mistakes, I’m not feeling that confident to continue with them. The only thing I just need right now is clean air,’ Sinner said.
‘In my mind I know that I haven’t done anything wrong,’ Sinner said ahead of the US Open
The International Tennis Integrity Agency announced that, although Sinner was docked 400 ranking points and $250,000 dollars, he was found to bear ‘no fault or negligence’.
The 23-year-old first tested positive during the event in Indian Wells on March 10, then again eight days later.
Sinner was provisionally suspended, but on both occasions he successfully appealed and was allowed to continue playing while the tribunal assessed the evidence. But after a lengthy, behind-close-doors investigation, the player’s reason for the extremely small quantity of clostebol in his system – less than a billionth of a gram – was accepted.
‘Whoever knows me very well knows that I haven’t done and I would never do something what goes against the rules,’ he insisted.
‘I also know who is my friend and who is not my friend, no, because my friends, they know that I would never do that.’
Britain’s Dan Evans slammed the ‘amateurish’ ITIA over their handling of the ‘messy’ saga
Britain’s Dan Evans slammed The International Tennis Integrity Agency over their handling of the ‘messy’ affair, branding the organization ‘amateurish’.
Evans does believe Sinner was ‘lucky’ with how quickly his case was resolved. ‘That’s a fact,’ he said before taking aim at the ITIA: ‘How they go about their business is not good.’
The British star added: ‘Everyone getting kept in the dark is totally wrong. I think they are an organization that has been thrown together and pretty amateurish stuff but they wear nice t-shirts and hang around the players.
‘It is frustrating for other players, that is the main thing. I don’t think they do much good for the sport if I am totally honest. They get the guys that are 800 in the world for drugs and gambling… I think there is a bigger issue. I am not against Jannik, I don’t know the story, to be honest I don’t care.’
