Jannik Sinner, the world’s number one single tennis player, split up with his team and his fitness coach, Umberto Ferrara ahead of the US Open. His splitting was due to the positive drug tests twice in March.
Jannik Sinner had to part ways with his coach and his physiotherapist, Giacomo Naldi this Friday. The news was broken via press conference after the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITA) confirmed the two drug tests.
(Also read: Who is Jannik Sinner? Get to Know the World’s Best Singles Tennis Player)
However, corroborating the player’s claim that Clostebol entered his system “as a result of contamination from a support team member”, ITA verified this. ITA declared that Sinner was at “no fault or negligence”.
The world-class tennis player had to face the consequences of two positive doping tests after which he split up with his teammates on Friday. For the previous two seasons, he enjoyed incredible victories with Ferrara and Naldi. He was already having high hopes for the US Open this season.
He was looking forward to the competition before the ITA’s ruling as he was excited after his first prominent victory at the Australian Open this year.
Jannik Sinner expressed his concern that “Because of these mistakes, I’m not feeling confident to continue with them”. He said that he only wants to prioritize coming clean at the moment rather than focusing on anything else.
The star player admitted that he had been having a rough time since he was struggling hard in the last few months. It was the results of drug tests that snatched everything away from him, he confessed.
The details of Jannik Sinner’s drug test matter
ITA revealed that Jannik Sinner tested positive for the anabolic drug Clostebol one day after winning the Cincinnati Open. It is a drug banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency and that’s why created trouble for the world-renowned tennis player instantly before his next big game.
On March 10, the test was run at the BNP Paribas Open and the player had to go out of the competition going to be held on March 18. Despite the circumstances, Sinner appealed for permission for his next match, which he was granted.
Although, Sinner was provisionally held but continued to play despite the positive drug tests.
When Sinner was asked about the details of the matter, the player explained that his fellow team member used an over-the-counter spray to treat his own wounds that contained Clostebol. When he sprayed, Sinner was standing right next to him, due to which, the particles might have transmitted onto his skin and entered his system.
The support team player treated his wounds in March just before giving Jannik Sinner the daily massage and therapy. It resulted “in unknowing transdermal contamination”, Sinner added.
During the case’s investigation, ITA supported Sinner’s claims and said the transmission might not be intentional. Following the violation, which was not Sinner’s fault, he was not awarded the prize money of the Indian Wells competition held in California. Even the points earned in the tournament were taken away from him.
Luckily, he avoided the suspension in a doping session. Sinner was relieved after ITA decision, regardless of knowing that the situation is not ideal. Still, he was content that he escaped from a big trouble before the US Open.
Sinner elucidated that only a 0.0000001 per cent of Clostebol was found in his system, whereas there are several zeros before coming to the actual ‘1’. He was pleased that he would be remembered as a “fair player”.
He knew he hadn’t done anything illegal deliberately since this matter had been on his head for several months, Sinner informed the press. He opened up about always following the rules of the game and vows to respect them in the coming years of his career.
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