Due to Doping, World #1 Sinner Suspended for 3 Months: Tennis World Was Rocked by Drug Scandals 5 More Times

After having two positive drug tests last year, the world’s best men’s tennis player, Jannik Sinner, got a verdict from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)—the suspension.

After agreeing to a settlement with the WADA about his two positive drug tests from 2024, world number one Jannik Sinner has agreed to an immediate three-month tennis ban.

The 23-year-old Italian, who has three Grand Slam trophies in his exhibition cabinet and won the Australian Open last month, will be suspended from February 9 to May 4. He’ll be eligible to compete in the French Open, which begins on May 19 and is the year’s next Grand Slam. Considering the suspension, it will be very interesting to see how the best betting sites for tennis will estimate Sinner’s odds at Roland-Garros.

After testing positive for the illegal drug clostebol in March, Sinner was previously exonerated of any misconduct by an impartial tribunal. WADA appealed the International Tennis Integrity Agency’s (ITIA) 2024 decision not to suspend Sinner to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), seeking a ban of up to two years. WADA acknowledged in a statement on Saturday that the three-time Grand Slam champion had no intention of cheating, that the substance had no performance-enhancing effects, and that this had occurred without his awareness due to the carelessness of those in his entourage.

Since “under the code and by virtue of CAS precedent, an athlete bears responsibility for the entourage’s negligence,” Sinner will serve a three-month penalty in lieu of the CAS hearing.

In a statement issued by Sinner’s attorneys, it was said that this case had been hanging over the player for almost a year, and the proceedings still had quite a while to go by, with a decision maybe only at the end of the year: “I’ve always accepted that I’m responsible for my team and realize WADA’s strict rules are an important protection for the sport I love. On that basis, I’ve accepted WADA’s offer to resolve these proceedings with a three-month sanction.”

Tennis World Was Truly Rocked by Drug Scandals 5 Times

Prior to Sinner, tennis had its share of drug controversies, just like any other professional sport. Here, we examine five of the most startling doping scandals in tennis history.

Andre Agassi (1997)

When Andre Agassi tested positive for methamphetamine in 1997, he brought tennis into the street drug crisis. An American, who has won eight Grand Slams and was #1 in the ATP ranking two years before using drugs, was banned for three months for the offense, although he later claimed that the positive test resulted from a drink that had been tampered with.

In his biography, Agassi later admitted to lying about his drug use. He’d talk candidly about his struggles with drugs and depression years later.

Martina Hingis (2007)

A positive drug test in 2007 ruined the career of former world No. 1 and five-time Grand Slam winner Martina Hingis. The Swiss declared her retirement shortly after testing positive for the substance benzoylecgonine.

She’d contest the decision, but her efforts were rejected because she had already given up the sport. Hingis insisted she was innocent, saying she had never used cocaine. She also took a private drug test, which revealed no evidence of cocaine use.

Richard Gasquet (2009)

When Richard Gasquet tested positive for a recreational substance, he offered an even more ridiculous justification than Agassi. He’d get caught up in a story that revolved around a purported “cocaine kiss” that he claimed he had from an unnamed woman at a Miami party. Because of the medication used in the event, WADA and the International Tennis Federation (ITF) first requested a two-year ban.

However, due to his denial and the small amount of cocaine found, the Frenchman, whose highest ATP ranking was No. 7, was first suspended for a year. When an independent assessment found that the occurrence was unintentional, this ruling was overturned. Both WADA and the ITF unsuccessfully appealed the decision to the CAS. Consequently, Gasquet was officially banned from playing in the French Open or Wimbledon for six weeks, from May to July 2009.

Maria Sharapova (2016)

In 2016, tennis superstar Maria Sharapova failed a drug test, making it the most memorable of the recent doping scandals. The problematic ingredient was a drug called meldonium, which is used to treat cardiac issues and increases blood circulation by delivering fatty acids into the body.

Sharapova acknowledged using the medication for more than a decade, saying it helped her prevent influenza and alleviate the symptoms of diabetes and magnesium shortage.

According to a review of the case published by the ITF and WADA, the five-time Grand Slam winner and a former #1 from Russia may not have been purposefully using the substance to improve performance, but it’s the player’s and team’s responsibility to be informed of new substances that have been added to the list of prohibited substances.

As a result, the ITF suspended the Russian for two years, preventing her from competing in any professional WTA Tour events until January 25, 2018. Sharapova’s two-year ban was lowered to 15 months after an appeal, and she resumed playing tennis in April 2017.

Simona Halep (2022)

Tennis has been rocked by the Simona Halep case, as prominent people have backed the former world number one and two-time Grand Slam winner in her attempt to clear her name. During the US Open in September 2022, she tested positive for roxadustat, an anti-anemia drug that encourages the production of red blood cells, and was notified one month later.

Due to anomalies in her alleged biological passport, the ITIA charged Halep with a second doping offense in May 2023. The Romanian player has appealed the decision to ban her for four years to the CAS. She acknowledged that if the suspension was upheld, her career would be gone.