The World Anti-Doping Agency’s appeal against the acquittal of tennis star Jannik Sinner has officially been submitted to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. A hearing is to be held there.
The International Court of Justice for Sport Cas cannot yet foresee when there will be a decision in the case of Italian tennis star Jannik Sinner. The World Anti-Doping Agency Wada had appealed against the acquittal of the world number one after two positive doping tests. The highest sports court in Lausanne has now announced that Wada’s complaint has been received and a hearing has been announced. A date for this has not yet been set either.
Sinner tested positive for the banned anabolic steroid clostebol twice in March. The 23-year-old was not banned. The responsible tennis agency Itia justified the acquittal by stating that no intentional fault or negligence could be proven against the two-time Grand Slam tournament winner.
Sinner disappointed and surprised by Wada appeal
In Wada’s view, this finding is “not correct under the applicable rules”. Wada, based in Montréal, Canada, is therefore calling for “a suspension of one to two years” for Sinner. However, Wada is not calling for any additional deletion of results in addition to those already ordered by the court of first instance. Sinner had won the US Open at the beginning of September.
Sinner had recently expressed disappointment at the ATP tournament in Beijing and was surprised by Wada’s complaint, stressing that he was convinced of his innocence. The tennis pro had explained that the substance had entered his body through the hands of his physiotherapist. The supervisor had used a spray containing clostebol, which is available over the counter in Italy, to treat a cut on his finger, Sinner explained.
