Alexander Bublik lashes out at Jannik Sinner’s ban settlement with WADA; states he would’ve been ‘banned for 4 years’ for same offense
Alexander Bublik demands every player should be given an opportunity for settlement just like Jannik Sinner did with WADA.
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Jannik Sinner and Alexander Bublik (via ATP/X)
Jannik Sinner‘s controversial three-month suspension shows no signs of fading anytime soon. The Italian star remains under heavy scrutiny, including from the World Anti-Doping Agency, which approved the ban. To this, ATP player Alexander Bublik even claimed that if he had committed the same offense as Sinner, he would have faced a four-year suspension.
Sinner tested positive twice for clostebol in March last year during the Indian Wells Open. He defended to the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) that the banned substance inadvertently entered his system while his ex-physio was massaging him. The anti-doping body accepted the defense and exonerated him of all offenses.
However, WADA challenged the verdict by lodging an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) seeking for at least a year ban on Sinner. But surprisingly, last week, the agency announced that it has reached a settlement with Sinner, which will see the ATP World No.1 serve a three-month suspension from the sport.
That has caused a serious division in the sport, with several current and former players criticizing why there will be a settlement in the first player. Alexander Bublik reacted to the controversy recently, saying that if he was the one who committed the offense, he would have been handed a four-year ban.
If we could all negotiate like Sinner does, it would be fantastic. If there is an opportunity to negotiate, it should be available to everyone. They directly said they had reached an agreement. How? With whom? So can we also negotiate? I think I would have been suspended for four years. And all of us, together.
Alexander Bublik said (H/T: TennisUptodate)
Bublik added that there was no trace of transparency in Sinner’s case. The Kazakhstani ace star explained that the public had no idea what was going right from the time when Sinner was tested positive to the conclusion of the doping case.
Jannik Sinner’s lawyer slam ATP stars for being “unfair” to the World No.1
Recently, several ATP elite players came out to criticize Jannik Sinner‘s suspension settlement with WADA. Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev were among them and they both shared the same claim that every player should now be allowed to negotiate their doping case. And many fans on social media have now begun to resonate with the claim.
However, Sinner’s lawyer, Jamie Singer, was not too well pleased with what they said. Singer revealed in an interview that it was an unfair criticism against the World No.1 and three was no favoritism for Sinner.
I think the players are always hawks when it’s another player involved and possibly doves when it’s them. It is very unfair. He has been through the process from the very beginning by the book. And there’s no favouritism. It just so happens that these circumstances have been very unusual. He says he feels that he’s been treated quite harshly.
Jamie Singer said via Sky Sports
Sinner’s suspension will run from February 9 to May 4. The three-time Grand Slam champion will be able to feature at the Italian Open which begins three days later. He also be eligible to play at the French Open.
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Victor Okechukwu
(735 Articles Published)