Jannik Sinner, the first Italian world number one in tennis, has been cleared of doping allegations despite testing positive for a trace amount of an anabolic steroid. The ITIA ruled it as 'unintentional ingestion' after a lengthy investigation. Sinner's legal team insists on his innocence, but the decision can be appealed by anti-doping agencies. Amidst victories and challenges, Sinner aims to focus on the upcoming US Open.#tennis #JannikSinner #doping #USOpen #sportsnews
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00:00The tennis world is in turmoil over Jannik Sinner, the first Italian to become world
00:05number one in tennis, who has been cleared of doping allegations despite testing positive
00:10for a minuscule amount of an anabolic steroid.
00:15The doping control occurred in April, and the International Tennis Integrity Agency
00:19– ITIA – concluded it was a case of unintentional ingestion.
00:24The ruling came on Aug. 15, just three weeks after Sinner withdrew from Paris 2024 due
00:30to tonsillitis.
00:33Though the matter had been kept private for months, it surfaced only now.
00:37Sinner of Sesto Posterio was not banned and, after winning the Cincinnati tournament, will
00:42compete in the U.S. Open starting Monday.
00:46However, the decision by the ITIA can be appealed by WADA and NATO, the World and Italian Anti-Doping
00:53Agencies, leaving a sort of Damocles hanging over another potential proceeding.
00:59The key issue is whether other authorities will find the circumstances of his accidental
01:03ingestion, convincing.
01:05I will now put this difficult and profoundly unlucky period behind me, said Sinner, who
01:10revealed the whole ordeal simultaneously with the ITIA, five days after being cleared.
01:18Sinner's legal team is convinced that the case is closed.
01:22There is no doubt that Sinner is innocent, the ITIA did not question this key principle,
01:27they said.
01:28However, the final word rests with WADA.
01:32The uncertainty loomed over Sinner all summer, amidst victories in Miami, ascending to world
01:37number one, physical challenges, and his withdrawal from Rome and the Olympics, where a guilty
01:42verdict would have been devastating.
01:46The situation began when Sinner was notified of two positive tests, the first on March
01:5110 at Indian Wells and the second eight days later, away from competition.
01:57Both tests detected less than a billionth of a gram of costible.
02:02Sinner was provisionally suspended twice, but managed to play by appealing to an independent
02:07tribunal, which automatically halted the provisional suspension.
02:11A lengthy investigation ensued, with numerous interviews involving Sinner, deemed very cooperative
02:17by all parties, and his team.
02:22On August 15, an independent tribunal ruled Sinner innocent, attributing the finding to
02:26unintentional contamination.
02:29The convincing explanation was that a physiotherapist bought a healing ointment from an Italian
02:33pharmacy for a finger cut, unaware that it contained costible.
02:39The physiotherapist then treated Sinner without gloves, coming into contact with minor skin
02:44abrasions.
02:46This accidental contact explained the tiny amount found.
02:50Under the principle of strict liability, Sinner agreed to forfeit his prize money and
02:54480 P points from Indian Wells.
02:59This resolution didn't sit well with Nicola Pietrangeli, he is innocent but was punished.
03:05If it was accidental, why were points and money taken?
03:09He called it unacceptable.
03:12Citing previous unintentional contamination cases, the report notes Atlanta's Palomino,
03:19was later fully exonerated, while Sarah Arani, banned for 8 months for a hormone stimulator,
03:25letrozole, in 2019, wasn't believed despite blaming tortellini made by her grandmother.
03:32It's ridiculous, Sinner should be banned for 2 years, claimed Nick Kyrgios, an ex-circuit
03:37player.
03:39British media speculated that Sinner's injury breaks, 27 days between Madrid and Paris,
03:44the Rome stoppage, might be somehow linked to ongoing proceedings.
03:50Sinner remains firm in his respect for anti-doping rules and looks forward.
03:54Following his fifth tournament win of the year and solidifying his lead in the ADP rankings,
03:59he said, it has been a challenging week, after his Cincinnati victory over Tiafoe.
04:05I had many ups and downs this week.
04:09Now it's essential to recover and be ready for New York, for the US Open.
04:14That is our main goal for this part of the season in North America.