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World No. 1 Jannik Sinner responded to the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) appeal to CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport) seeking a 2-year ban on him. WADA announced it is pursuing a ban of one to two years for the U.S. Open champion. Still, any potential suspension will not be backdated, allowing Sinner to keep his second Grand Slam title if found guilty.
In March, Sinner tested positive for an anabolic steroid, but an independent tribunal ruled that he would not be banned, as it concluded he was not at fault. Sinner explained that the substance entered his system unintentionally through a massage from his physiotherapist, who had used a steroid-containing spray for a cut. WADA officially filed the appeal to CAS on Thursday.
"I am disappointed to hear that WADA have chosen to appeal the result of my ITIA hearing after the independent judges had exonerated me and deemed me to be innocent," said Jannik as quoted by Tennis.com
“Over the past few months and throughout this process there have been three separate hearings in each case confirming my innocence.“Several months of interviews and investigations culminated in three senior judges scrutinizing every detail through a formal hearing. They issued an in-depth judgement explaining why they determined me not at fault, with clear evidence provided and my cooperation throughout. On the back of such a robust process, both the ITIA and the Italian anti-doping authority accepted it and waived their rights to appeal," Sinner said thorough statement to media
“I understand these things need to be thoroughly investigated to maintain the integrity of the sport we all love. However, it is difficult to see what will be gained by asking a different set of three judges to look at the same facts and documentation all over again. This being said, I have nothing to hide, and as I have done throughout the summer, I will cooperate fully with the appeal process and provide whatever may be needed to prove my innocence once again," the statement added.
Sinner concluded by stating he would refrain from further comments while his fate is in CAS's hands. The world No. 1 is set to face Jiri Lehecka on Monday in his next match. Sinner has reached the quarterfinals or better in all 13 tournaments he's participated in during 2024 and is currently on a 13-match winning streak.
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