“Different rules for different players,” Denis Shapovalov highlights ATP’s hypocrisy over Jannik Sinner’s drug scandal

Jannik Sinner's drug scandal is going to rumble on and will generate many storylines in the coming days and weeks.

“Different rules for different players,” Denis Shapovalov highlights ATP’s hypocrisy over Jannik Sinner’s drug scandal

Denis Shapovalov and Jannik Sinner (via The Times of Israel/Imago)

Jannik Sinner, the world’s top-ranked tennis player, has been cleared of any misconduct after testing positive for a banned substance twice in March. The Italian player tested positive for a small amount of clostebol metabolite, a steroid used for muscle building, during the Indian Wells tournament.

The news caused a stir in the tennis community, with many players, including Denis Shapovalov, expressing their views on social media. Sinner’s second test, conducted eight days later, also showed low levels of the same substance.

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Different rules for different players
Denis Shapovalov wrote on X

Initially, Sinner faced a provisional suspension, but he successfully challenged it and continued to play. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) investigated Sinner’s contamination and found it accidental.

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Can’t imagine what every other player that got banned for contaminated substances is feeling right now
Denis Shapovalov continued on X

It was discovered that Sinner’s physiotherapist, Giacomo Naldi, had used an over-the-counter spray on his own hand before treating Sinner. The ITIA concluded that the substance’s presence in the 23-year-old’s system was unintentional.

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Tennys Sandgren and Jannik Sinner

The entire storyline of Jannik Sinner’s drug scandal

Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner was found not at fault or negligent for the positive drug tests. The ITIA noted that the detected levels of the banned substance in his sample were very low, with his lawyers stating it was less than a billionth of a gram.

Jannik Sinner
Jannik Sinner (Via Imago)

The ITIA’s detailed decision reveals that Sinner’s physiotherapist, Giacomo Naldi, cut his left hand on 3rd March. After bandaging the cut, Naldi used a medical spray on it, which Sinner’s fitness coach, Umberto Ferrara, had bought in February. Naldi did not check the spray’s contents and used it daily from 5 to 13 March, while Indian Wells was held from 6 to 17 March.

During this period, Naldi treated Sinner with full-body massages and bandaged his feet without wearing gloves. Sinner has a skin condition that causes small cuts and lesions. On 10 March, Naldi applied the spray to his cut finger and then treated Sinner’s feet, not recalling if he washed his hands in between.

The ITIA accepted that the World No.1 was unaware of the spray’s contents and that Naldi’s use on his cut was unintentional. Three independent experts confirmed Sinner’s explanation, stating that the substance did not affect his performance. The tribunal agreed there was no fault or negligence on Sinner’s part, and he would not be suspended. However, he would lose his 400 ranking points and $325,000 prize money from Indian Wells. The ruling is subject to any appeal by WADA.

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