Nick Kyrgios says the leniency of a three-month ban given to world No 1 Jannik Sinner after two constructive drug checks in 2024 has proven that “fairness in tennis does not exist”.
The World Anti-Doping Company (WADA) introduced on Saturday that it had reached an settlement with Sinner over a three-month suspension, which can permit the Italian to return in time for the subsequent Grand Slam – the French Open – which begins on Might 25.
Sinner, who final month retained his Australian Open title to assert his third Grand Slam triumph, examined constructive in March 2024 for the anabolic steroid clostebol, earlier than being cleared in August by an unbiased tribunal that decided he was to not blame.
WADA appealed in opposition to that call to the Courtroom of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in September and a subsequent listening to had been set for April 16 and 17, at which the company had mentioned it could search a ban of between one and two years for Sinner.
The Italian has accepted a interval of ineligibility that suspends him from enjoying from February 9 till Might 4, and mentioned on Saturday by way of a press release that he had made the choice as a result of he realises “WADA’s strict rules are an important protection for the sport I love”.
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Tim Henman says Sinner’s three-month ban from tennis leaves a ‘bitter style’ for the game
Kyrgios, a 2022 Wimbledon finalist who has been vital of the dealing with of the case because it turned public, reacted to the settlement by way of his X account on Saturday.
He wrote: “So WADA come out and say it would be a 1-2 year ban. Obviously Sinner’s team have done everything in their power to just go ahead and take a 3 month ban, no titles lost, no prize money lost. Guilty or not? Sad day for tennis. Fairness in tennis does not exist.”
In a separate submit, he added: “I know a lot of players that are feeling the same way at the moment.
“So he was discovered responsible – therefore the ban. However did not get stripped of something and might play the French. Unhappy unhappy unhappy day.”
Sky Sports activities Information has contacted WADA for touch upon Kyrgios’ posts on social media.
In a case introduced by the Worldwide Tennis Integrity Company (ITIA), the tribunal accepted Sinner’s rationalization that the banned substance entered his physique because of a therapeutic massage from his physiotherapist, who had used a sprig containing the steroid to deal with a minimize on their finger.
Sinner subsequently fired physio Giacomo Naldi and his coach Umberto Ferrara, who Sinner mentioned had equipped Naldi with the over-the-counter spray.
Nevertheless, WADA appealed to CAS and the saga had been set to proceed till the settlement introduced it to a sudden conclusion.
In a press release launched on Saturday, WADA defined that it continues to imagine Sinner didn’t intend to cheat however that he was answerable for his entourage’s negligence.
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Sinner beforehand mentioned he was shocked WADA had appealed in opposition to the choice to initially clear him
The assertion mentioned: “WADA accepts the athlete’s explanation for the cause of the violation as outlined in the first instance decision. WADA accepts that Mr Sinner did not intend to cheat, and that his exposure to clostebol did not provide any performance-enhancing benefit and took place without his knowledge as the result of negligence of members of his entourage.
“Nevertheless, below the code and by advantage of CAS precedent, an athlete bears duty for the entourage’s negligence. Based mostly on the distinctive set of information of this case, a three-month suspension is deemed to be an acceptable consequence.”
In a statement shared with Sky Sports News by his lawyers, Sinner said: “This case had been hanging over me for practically a 12 months and the method nonetheless had a very long time to run with a call perhaps solely on the finish of the 12 months.
“I have always accepted that I am responsible for my team and realise WADA’s strict rules are an important protection for the sport I love. On that basis I have accepted WADA’s offer to resolve these proceedings on the basis of a three-month sanction.”
Though Sinner was required to forfeit his 400 rating factors from the event he examined constructive at, Indian Wells – and prize cash of $325,000 – he was capable of proceed competing and went on to win the US Open in September 2024 and Australian Open in January 2025.
WADA reiterated that it was not in search of the “disqualification of any results” except for the Indian Wells ruling that had beforehand been made.
Sinner will miss 4 ATP Masters 1000 occasions – Indian Wells and Miami in March, together with Monte Carlo and Madrid in April. He shall be eligible to return at his dwelling occasion, the Masters 1000 in Rome on Might 7.
Henman: ‘Handy’ Sinner settlement leaves a ‘bitter style’
Former British No 1 and Sky Sports activities Tennis pundit Tim Henman mentioned the settlement “seems a little bit too convenient” and “leaves a pretty sour taste for the sport”.
Sinner’s doping case has performed out alongside one other for girls’s world No 1 Iga Swiatek, which noticed the five-time winner serve a one-month suspension after testing constructive for coronary heart medicine trimetazidine in August 2024.
In Swiatek’s case, WADA selected to not lodge an enchantment in opposition to the ITIA ruling.
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Highlights of the US Open last between Sinner and Taylor Fritz
Henman advised Sky Sports activities Information: “Two of the best players in the world, one in the men’s, one in the women’s, have had drug cases. With Sinner’s, I want to start off first and foremost by saying I don’t think in any way he has been trying to cheat at any stage. I don’t believe that.
“Nevertheless, once I learn this assertion this morning, it simply appears slightly bit too handy. Evidently there’s phrases like ‘settlement’, and it nearly looks as if there’s been a negotiation.
“And obviously, having just won the Australian Open, to miss three months of the Tour and therefore be eligible to play at Roland Garros, the timing couldn’t have been any better for Sinner.
“However I nonetheless assume it leaves a fairly bitter style for the game. I am certain we’ll perceive slightly bit extra as a result of it’s such a recent story. Nevertheless it’s only a bit too handy for me proper now.
“I think when you’re dealing with drugs in sport, it very much has to be black and white. It’s binary, it’s positive or negative, it’s you’re banned or you’re not banned.
“And I feel that is whenever you begin studying phrases like ‘settlement’ or ‘settlement’, it seems like there’s been a negotiation and I do not assume that may sit properly with actually the participant cohort and the followers of the game.”
