- Jannik Sinner could be suspended for two years
- WADA appealed the decision not to sanction the Italian
- It was authorized by the International Tennis Integrity Agency
- It follows two positive doping tests last March
World number one Jannik Sinner will begin his defense at the Australian Open knowing that a court hearing in Switzerland in three months could sentence him to a possible two-year ban for doping.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the highest court in sport, announced on Friday that it had set a date for a closed-door hearing on April 16 and 17 at its headquarters in Lausanne on the two positive doping tests of the number 1 in the world. from last year.
The CAS will hear an appeal from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) against the sport’s decision not to ban Sinner, despite the Italian testing positive twice for the anabolic steroid clostebol in March.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) ruled that it was due to accidental contamination, but WADA challenges the verdict and calls for Sinner, a double Grand Slam winner and winner of the US Open and in Melbourne last year , be suspended for between one and two years.
The CAS did not give a timetable for a verdict to be issued, although the parties could request a fast-track decision before the French Open begins on May 25.
Sinner’s explanation for the two positive tests was that they were due to a massage by a trainer who used the substance after cutting his finger, and was accepted by the ITIA.
Jannik Sinner will begin his defense at the Australian Open knowing that a court hearing in Switzerland in April could sentence him to a possible two-year ban for doping.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), sport’s highest court, announced on Friday that it will hear an appeal by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) against the sport’s decision not to ban Sinner.
Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios has loudly suggested his belief that Sinner received preferential treatment.
Sinner won the US Open in September after details of his case were revealed, and the 23-year-old Italian faced skepticism from other players, including Australian Nick Kyrgios, who suggested he had received preferential treatment.
The continuing controversy surrounding the case has followed Sinner to Melbourne, with the Italian admitting on Friday the saga was still on his mind.
‘Yes, think about this, of course. I’d be lying if I told you I forgot. No, it’s not like that,” Sinner told reporters.
‘It’s something I’ve had with me for quite some time, but (you know) it is what it is.
‘I’m here trying to prepare for the Grand Slam.
“We’ll see how it goes,” added the 23-year-old, who will face Chilean Nicolás Jarry in the first round.
Sinner, the No. 1 seed, has a $2.30 chance with the bookies to win his third career Grand Slam title.
The Australian Open starts on January 12.