ATP star blasts ITIA for giving preferential treatment to Jannik Sinner after Max Purcell receives 18-month ban

Max Purcell received an 18-month ban after taking legal drugs by a prohibited method.

ATP star blasts ITIA for giving preferential treatment to Jannik Sinner after Max Purcell receives 18-month ban

Jannik Sinner and Max Purcell (via Eurosport/ESPN)

The tennis world grapples with yet another doping controversy after two-time Doubles Grand Slam winner Max Purcell was handed a 18-month suspension for doping. This comes just a few months after World No.1 Jannik Sinner was given a three-month suspension for a breach of anti-doping rules.

The difference between both doping cases is a million miles away from each other. Purcell was suspended for receiving IV infusions of 100 ml in 12 hours and 500 ml twice unknowingly after falling ill in December 2023. The Australian’s use of intravenous infusion is a prohibited method and a breach of the World Anti-Doping Code and Tennis Anti-Doping Programme.

To make it clear, Purcell did not have a banned substance in his system. He received a legal injection but was found by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) to have used a prohibited method while receiving the infusions.

Meanwhile, Sinner twice tested positive for clostebol (a banned substance) in March last year. The Italian defended that the substance inadvertently entered his system after his former physio made a mistake. The ITIA accepted the Italian’s defense and was not charged. It was the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) who appealed the case to the Court of Arbitration (CAS), stressing that Sinner has a responsibility for what enters his system.

In February, the anti-doping agency withdrew the case after entering a settlement with Sinner for him to serve a three-month suspension. His case has been heavily criticized by several players on Tour, including Nick Kyrgios and Stan Wawrinka. It has also been debated by fans on social media.

ATP star John Millman, who is Purcell’s compatriot, blasted the ITIA for giving preferential treatment to Sinner while banning the Australian for 18 months. Millman wrote via. an opinion piece that Purcell was banned six times (the length) than Sinner.

Tennis players can no longer have faith in the systems that are meant to protect them – that much is clear after Australian tennis player Max Purcell was given an 18-month ban for an over-the-limit intravenous infusion. Players want a fair sport, they want an equal sport, but when Jannik Sinner receives a three-month ban for having a prohibited substance in his system, and Max is banned for six times that length, it’s hard not to believe the system has failed its players.

John Millman wrote via The Sydney Morning Herald

Sinner’s suspension is set to end on May 4, while Purcell’s ban will end on June 11, 2026. During his ban, he’s prohibited from playing in, coaching at, or attending any tennis events sanctioned by the ITIA.

John Millman believes players are losing faith in the anti-doping system

Recently, several players, including Aryna Sabalenka and Casper Ruud have revealed their fear of doping. Tennis players are now very careful of what they take in and use so as not to test positive for any banned substance. John Millman believes that it’s a sign that players are beginning to lose faith in the system.

Max Purcell (via AP)
Max Purcell (via AP)

The longer these things get dragged out, the harder it is on the player, regardless of the outcome… But this is a significant ban, and it fuels a fire that has been burning in tennis for the past year. It becomes extremely challenging when players start to lose faith in the system, and Max’s case only emphasizes the fact that there are different rules for different players.

John Millman wrote

Also, Iga Swiatek received a one-month suspension last October for testing positive for trimetazidine in August. The case was kept closed for two months and was not well received by players and fans. The tennis anti-doping body has a lot of work to do to address how players see them; if not, the system will continue to receive huge backlash.

Also Read: Rafael Nadal convinced Carlos Alcaraz will have ‘one of the best careers’ but warns him about ‘this’