Tue Feb 18 14:10:00 UTC 2025: ## Tennis Star Sinner’s Lighter Doping Ban Sparks Outrage After Figure Skater Receives Six-Year Suspension for Same Substance

**MADRID** – The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is facing criticism after top-ranked tennis player Jannik Sinner received a three-month ban for a positive test for Clostebol, while Spanish figure skater Laura Barquero received a six-year suspension for the same substance. The discrepancy has sparked outrage, particularly in Spain, where Barquero’s case has garnered significant media attention.

WADA explained the differing penalties by citing key differences in the circumstances of each case. While both athletes tested positive for Clostebol, WADA stated that Barquero’s explanation for the substance’s presence in her system was deemed unconvincing, leaving the cause unknown. In contrast, WADA accepted Sinner’s explanation that trace amounts of the substance resulted from accidental contamination via a trainer’s massage cream.

Barquero, 23, tested positive twice – once during the 2022 Winter Olympics and again in January 2023. She accepted a six-year ban under a case resolution agreement, citing unfair rules and a desire to move on with her life. She claims the contamination stemmed from a common skin cream used by those around her.

Sinner, a three-time Grand Slam champion, initially faced a potential one-year ban after the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) initially declined to suspend him. However, WADA subsequently withdrew its appeal after accepting Sinner’s explanation of accidental contamination.

Barquero, who has shared her story on social media, criticized the system, calling her six-year suspension a “disproportionate sanction that meant the end of my career.” The disparity in penalties has raised questions about the fairness and consistency of WADA’s disciplinary processes.

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