Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic spared no criticism of the recent doping cases in tennis, especially involving Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek.
During a press conference at ATP 500 Doha at Qatar, Djokovic spoke in a certain “favoritism” and disagreed with the recent punishments of the World Anti -Doping Agency (Wada), considered soft by him.
– Since August last year, it has been like an earthquake for the whole world. The other number 1 in the world (now vice-leader), Iga Swiatek, was also suspended without anyone knowing anything, and she was suspended in the preseason when there were no tournaments. It is obvious that trust is increasingly lost. Personally, I hardly believe in anything, not just in these cases, but there are generally disabilities – the Serb has shot.
Number seven of the world ranking, Djokovic also highlighted the inequality of conditions that would benefit more structured tennis players in cases of doping.
– A cutting -edge player can pay the best lawyers and access resources to have a better chance to fight and get a better result than someone who is not. Wada says in its rules that each case is different, that when a positive is discovered you have a reasonable time to make a statement and discover the cause of everything. Sinner did this in six hours, which is why he got a better deal. The others are not. Not everyone can do this so fast. They have to talk to people on their team and find out what happens, ”he explained.
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Sinner is punished by doping
Sinner tested positive for the anabolic steroid Closbol in March 2024. The tennis player’s explanation in his trial by itia was that the substance forbidden to improve sports performance entered his body due to a massage of his physical therapist, which would have used a spray medication to treat a cut on your own finger.
Itia considered Sinner’s defense plausible and innovated the player in August 2024. The entity, at the time, issued an official statement that stated that the levels of closet were low.
– Sinner, currently classified as number 1 in the world in simple male, provided a sample in competition at the Masters 1000 event in Indian Wells on March 10, 2024, which contained the presence of a low -level closet metabolite. Another sample, conducted outside the competition eight days later, also tested positive for the same metabolite – again at low levels – the note said.
The tennis player’s acquittal at the time generated revolt between tennis players around the world. Australian Nick Kyrgios posted on a social network a message strongly criticizing Isia’s decision.
– Ridiculous. Regardless of whether it was accidental or planned. If you test positive twice for a positive (steroid) substance, you should be banned for two years. Its performance has been improved. Massage cream. Okay, cool, ”he wrote.
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IGA SWIATEK fulfills suspension by use of prohibited substance
In August 2024, an anti -doping exam tracked the presence of trimethazidine in Swiatek, composed by itia. The Polish justified that she ingested the substance when consuming melatonin, used to regulate biological rhythm and stimulate sleep.
The athlete’s defense claimed that Iga had trouble sleeping and Jetleg. Since melatonin is a medication allowed in Poland, the agency considered the tennis player “without significant fault or negligence,” so the punishment was 30 days.
Iga Swiatek was out of competitions from September 22 to October 4, fulfilling provisional suspension.
Then, with the punishment, she fulfilled the rest of the suspension between November 27 and December 4.
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Doping cases in tennis
The sport has several doping cases throughout history. Check out three among the most emblematic:
