Why there is growing mistrust about doping violations in tennis

Mumbai: There is an interesting coincidence in Jannik Sinner being pitted against Nicolas Jarry in the first round of the Australian Open. Both had tested positive for banned substances. Both were declared to have borne no significant fault or negligence. Italy's Jannik Sinner tested positive for a banned substance but successfully appealed against the provisional suspension. (REUTERS)

But Sinner, the world No.1 and defending champion at Melbourne Park, was allowed to compete without a ban while Jarry was handed an 11-month suspension.

The luck of the draw is such that it highlights the shadow of mistrust growing in tennis.

Sinner tested positive – twice – for clostebol in March, but had successfully appealed against the provisional suspension handed to him. Everything was kept under wraps. The Italian was allowed to compete on the tour while the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) conducted its investigation.

In that time, Sinner became world No.1 and it was only in August, a day after he won the Cincinnati Masters, when the ITIA cleared him of wrongdoing. That was the first time the tennis world learnt that the 23-year-old had tested positive.

Last November, it was announced that Iga Swiatek had tested positive for trimetazidine in an out-of-competition test conducted in August – when she was still world No.1. She was handed a one-month ban, serving 22 days in the September-October period, and the remaining eight days after she competed in the WTA Finals and Billie Jean King Cup Finals.

The treatment meted out to Sinner and Swiatek has been widely criticised by players who have accused tennis’ governing bodies of favouritism.

“We’ve had plenty of players in the past and currently under suspension for not even testing positive to banned substances,” said 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic during the Brisbane International last week.

“We have some players who have been waiting for over a year for their case to be resolved, so the issue is the inconsistency and the transparency.”

One important similarity between Sinner and Swiatek is that they have been promoted as the face of tennis.

On the ATP circuit, at a time when Roger Federer has long been retired and Rafael Nadal recently hung up his racquet, the Sinner versus Carlos Alcaraz rivalry is being touted as the next big thing. In the women’s circuit, five-time Grand Slam winner Swiatek, currently No.2 in the world, has become one of the most recognisable faces in the game.

Having both world No.1s caught in a doping scandal would be harmful for the sport. “Both getting done for doping, is disgusting for our sport,” said Nick Kyrgios, at the Brisbane International. “It’s a horrible look.”

It is, however, no secret that the tennis bodies have worked hard at protecting the top players. Andre Agassi and Marin Cilic have received silent bans in the past. And reports claim that players had been informed that they would be tested at the 2019 French Open, 2021 US Open and 2022 Miami Masters, giving guilty players an opportunity to flush the substances out of their systems in time.

But for the ones that have been caught, though Sinner, Swiatek and the ITIA assert there has been no preferential treatment, the circumstances of their cases are curious.

“I’m just questioning the way the system works,” Djokovic added. “Why are certain players not treated the same as other players? Maybe there are some ranking reasons behind it, or maybe others have more financial backing behind them or stronger legal teams.”

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has appealed against Sinner being cleared to the Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS). That will be up for hearing later this year.

Next week though, Sinner, who is cleared of all wrongdoing, will walk into Rod Laver Arena to play his first round match against a player who did not get away it.

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