Sat Sep 28 10:28:04 UTC 2024: ## WADA Appeals Jannik Sinner’s Steroid Case, Seeking One to Two Year Ban
**Beijing, China:** The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has appealed the decision clearing top-ranked tennis player Jannik Sinner of a steroid violation, seeking a ban of one to two years for the U.S. Open champion.
The appeal was filed with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Thursday, challenging the International Tennis Integrity Agency’s (ITIA) August decision to clear Sinner. The ITIA determined that Sinner was not at fault for the positive test results for an anabolic steroid, concluding that the banned substance entered his system unintentionally through a massage from his physiotherapist, who used a spray containing the steroid to treat their own finger injury.
WADA, however, maintains that the ITIA’s finding of “no fault or negligence” was incorrect under applicable rules. While not seeking a disqualification of any results obtained by Sinner, WADA is pushing for a suspension of one to two years.
Sinner, currently competing at the China Open in Beijing, tested positive twice for the banned substance in March. Despite the positive tests, he was allowed to continue playing after successfully appealing to an independent tribunal twice.
The appeal process, much like the Maria Sharapova case in 2016, could be resolved quickly, potentially within a few months. However, the case is unlikely to be finalized before Sinner’s Australian Open title defense in January.
The case raises questions about the integrity of the ITIA’s investigation and the application of anti-doping regulations in tennis. It also highlights the complexities of unintended exposure to banned substances and the challenges of proving fault in such cases.
First Piper 