Jannik Sinner’s drug case is NOT over as the World Anti Doping Agency launch an appeal seeking a ban of between one to two years – after the Italian originally avoided a suspension despite failing two anti-doping tests

The World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) has revealed that they will appeal the verdict that saw Jannik Sinner escape a ban after failing two anti-doping tests.

Last month, Sinner avoided a suspension after a court accepted that the contamination occurred during a massage from his physiotherapist.

When the International Tennis Integrity Agency (TIA) announced the failed tests, they said that although Sinner would receive 400 ranking points and $250,000 (£186,932), he was found to have ‘no fault or negligence’ and was allowed to compete. at the following week’s US Open – an event he won.

However, in a bombshell announcement on Saturday morning, WADA confirmed it disagreed with the original findings that the world No. 1 Sinner had ‘no fault or negligence’ and has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

They also said they want a one to two year ban for the Italian.

In a statement they said: ‘The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) confirms that on Thursday 26 September it lodged an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in the case of Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner, who was dismissed by an independent tribunal of the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) ruled there was no fault or negligence after testing positive twice for clostebol, a banned substance, in March 2024.

‘WADA believes that the finding of “no fault or negligence” was incorrect under the applicable rules.

‘WADA requires an ineligibility period of one to two years. WADA does not seek disqualification from any outcome other than that already imposed by the tribunal of first instance.

“As this matter is now under review by CAS, WADA will have no further comment at this time.”

In response to the news, the TIA released a statement saying: ‘The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) acknowledges the decision of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to appeal the ruling of no fault or negligence in the case of the Italian tennis player. Jannik Sinner, issued by an independent tribunal appointed by Sport Resolutions on 19 August 2024. Under the terms of the World Anti-Doping Code, WADA has the final right to appeal all such decisions.

‘Once the facts had been agreed upon following a thorough investigative process, the matter was referred to a tribunal completely independent of the ITIA to determine the degree of culpability and therefore the sanction due to the unique circumstances and the lack of a comparable precedent.

‘The process was conducted in accordance with the guidelines of the World Anti-Doping Code; however, the ITIA recognizes and respects WADA’s right to appeal the decision of the independent tribunal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.”

When the news broke, Sinner was in action against Roman Safiullin in China and is expected to be asked after the match.

Mail Sport understands that there is no time frame for when a case will commence and that Sinner will not be suspended for the time being.

The 23-year-old had first tested positive for the banned anabolic steroid clostebol at the Indian Wells event on March 10, and again eight days later.

Sinner was provisionally suspended, but on both occasions he successfully appealed and was allowed to continue playing while the tribunal reviewed the evidence. However, he was credited with the prize money and ranking points he earned at Indian Wells.

After a lengthy investigation behind closed doors, the player’s rationale for the extremely small amount of clostebol in his system – less than a billionth of a gram – was accepted at a hearing in London in August.

Sinner’s explanation was that his fitness coach Umberto Ferrara purchased an over-the-counter spray containing the steroid in Italy a month before traveling to Indian Wells. During the event in Indian Wells, Sinner’s physio Giacomo Naldi cut his finger and was advised by Ferrara to use the spray to treat the wound.

Then, according to a statement from the Sinner team: “The physiotherapist treated Jannik and his lack of care combined with several open wounds on Jannik’s body caused the contamination.”

The tribunal also noted that: ‘There is no suggestion that the small concentration in his system would have had any performance enhancing effect.’

Clostebol is a derivative of testosterone and can therefore promote muscle growth and recovery. It has been the cause of several drug test failures in sports, especially in Italy – one of the few countries where products containing clostebol can be sold without a prescription.

Following the original ruling, Sinner said in a statement: “I will now put this very challenging and deeply unhappy period behind me.

“I will continue to do everything I can to ensure I remain compliant with ITIA’s anti-doping program and I have a team around me that is diligent in their own compliance.”

Jamie Singer, Sinner’s lawyer, added at the time: ‘Anti-doping rules have to be very strict to be effective. Unfortunately, the unfortunate consequence is that occasionally completely innocent athletes get caught up in it.

‘There is no doubt that Jannik is innocent in this case. The ITIA has not challenged that key principle.

“Under the rules, he is responsible for the mistakes of his team members and those mistakes unfortunately led to the positive test.”

Sinner, who also won the Australian Open earlier this year, moved to world No. 1 in June and, along with Carlos Alcaraz, is expected to dominate the next generation of tennis.