Suspension for one month
Swiatek doping case triggers criticism and lack of understanding
After Jannik Sinner, Iga Swiatek also has to struggle with the consequences of a positive doping test. Both proceedings raise questions about equal treatment in tennis.
The approach to the one-month doping ban for the Polish world number two Iga Swiatek brings back memories of the Jannik Sinner doping case and provokes criticism in the tennis scene. “The excuse we can all use is that we didn’t know. Just didn’t know,” wrote Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios on the X platform: “Professional athletes at the highest level can now simply say: ‘We didn’t know’ .”
The two-time Grand Slam tournament winner Simona Halep, who was initially banned for four years by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (Itia) due to a positive doping test and irregularities in the athlete’s passport, also reacted with incomprehension. “I stand here and ask myself: Why is there such a big difference in treatment and judgment?” wrote the Romanian on Instagram. She suspects Itia has “bad intentions.” Halep’s ban was reduced to nine months by the international sports tribunal Cas.
Why is the public only being informed now?
According to Itia, Swiatek tested positive for the banned substance trimetazidine on August 12. The 23-year-old says she took a non-prescription medication to combat the effects of jet lag. The contamination of this medication led to the positive test result. The investigators classified the Polish woman’s statements as credible and considered it a non-serious case. After the procedure, her innocence was confirmed, said the five-time Grand Slam tournament winner in an Instagram video.
But just like with world number one Sinner, who tested positive for the anabolic steroid Clostebol twice in March but was acquitted by Itia, the public was not immediately informed. According to Itia, Sinner could not be proven to have acted intentionally. Only now, after the investigation was completed, did the investigative commission make the incidents of Sinner and Swiatek public. The approach paints “a terrible picture for the sport,” commented Portuguese tennis journalist José Morgado on X.
dpa
Source: Stern
I am Pierce Boyd, a driven and ambitious professional working in the news industry. I have been writing for 24 Hours Worlds for over five years, specializing in sports section coverage. During my tenure at the publication, I have built an impressive portfolio of articles that has earned me a reputation as an experienced journalist and content creator.
