- Australian lawyer predicts tennis superstar Jannik Sinner will face police sanctions
- Sinner tested positive for clostebol, an anabolic steroid banned in March
- The court determined that there had been “no fault or negligence” on his part
Australian swimmer Shayna Jack’s lawyer says tennis superstar Jannik Sinner will likely be held accountable for her failed drug test and could face a ban from the sport of up to two years.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is appealing against an independent ruling that cleared the world number one of liability for testing positive for a banned substance.
Sinner first tested positive for the banned anabolic steroid clostebol during Indian Wells on March 10, and then again eight days later.
He was provisionally suspended, but on both occasions he successfully appealed and was allowed to continue playing while the tests were evaluated.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency took the case to an independent tribunal in August, when Sinner’s explanation for why there was an extremely small amount of clostebol in his system (less than a billionth of a gram) was accepted.
Sinner managed to convince the court that his two positive tests had been a result of contamination.
Lawyer for Australian swimmer Shayna Jack predicts Jannik Sinner will be suspended
Physio Giacomo Naldi (left) and fitness coach Umberto Ferrara (right) pictured with Sinner (centre) after the tennis star won the 2024 Australian Open in January.
On September 26, the World Anti-Doping Agency appealed the verdict that there was “no fault or negligence” on Sinner’s part. WADA maintains that the ruling does not comply with applicable rules.
WADA has suggested that it would like Sinner to be declared ineligible for a period of between one and two years.
Brisbane-based lawyer Tim Fuller, who represented Shayna Jack after she tested positive for a banned substance, believes the tennis body’s decision on Sinner will be overturned.
“In my opinion, I believe the decision of no fault or negligence will be overturned on appeal and a penalty will be imposed,” Fuller said. The Sydney Morning Herald.
“I would suggest that it is a very, very unusual case,” he added.
“All WADA is really doing here is saying that we accept that it was unintentional, but you have, or had, a certain degree of fault or negligence for what happened… we say that you, as an athlete, have the responsibility final. which is strict liability, and therefore we say that you have proven fault and negligence in your actions.
‘And then let’s look now (what) we say is between a mid- to high-range level of fault or negligence, and that’s why they’re looking at (a ban of) one or two years.
«One year would be considered the upper limit of the low foul standard. Zero to 12 (months) is the low failure range.’
The Italian tennis star avoided sanction after testing positive twice in anti-doping controls
The explanation provided by Sinner was that a month before traveling to Indian Wells, fitness trainer Umberto Ferrara purchased an over-the-counter spray containing clostebol in Italy.
Then, during the Indian Wells event, physio Giacomo Naldi cut his finger and Ferrara advised him to use the spray to treat the wound.
According to a statement from Sinner’s team: “The physical therapist treated Jannik and his lack of attention, along with several open wounds on Jannik’s body, led to the contamination.”
The court heard Sinner suffers from psoriasiform dermatitis, a skin condition that can cause irritation and, if scratched, cuts and sores. This was accepted as the reason why clostebol entered his body through the physiotherapist’s finger.
Sinner has since fired both Ferrara and Naldi from his team.