Famous sports scientist plays devil’s advocate on Jannik Sinner’s ‘deliberate’ doping situation
As per Dr. Ross Tucker, the ITIA perhaps could not prove that Jannik Sinner intentionally used clostebol.
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Jannik Sinner (Image via X)
According to renowned sports scientist Dr. Ross Tucker, there’s a possibility that Jannik Sinner deliberately used the banned anabolic steroid clostebol. Sinner was contaminated by the banned drug last year in March twice, but the explanation he provided to the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) was accepted and he was proven innocent.
According to Sinner, the steroid entered his body while receiving a massage from his then ex-physiotherapist Giacomo Naldi, who was using an over-the-counter spray that contained clostebol, to heal a wound on his finger.
But as per Dr. Tucker, the ITIA perhaps could not prove that Sinner intentionally doped and declared him innocent because of a study by an Italian university that Sinner had provided in his defense.
It is possible that Sinner used the clostebol deliberately, knowing that it is in the cream and that if it is taken he has a ready defense against contamination because there has been a study which clears him. So it is possible that it is just a very clever way of doping, but it cannot be proven.
Dr. Ross Tucker told via the Indo Sport podcast
Dr. Tucker thinks that though the ITIA didn’t explore other aspects, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) would. The matter reached the CAS because of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) which demands a ban of between one and two years on the Italian.
It is possible to transfer clostebol in a massage cream from one person to another. So he is able to establish the source of the positive test.
Dr. Ross Tucker added
Sinner was provisionally suspended twice but faced no lengthy ban. Now that CAS is involved, there’s a possibility of him being given a ban. CAS will give its verdict in April this year.
Jannik Sinner to face Marcos Giron in the Australian Open
Jannik Sinner is bidding to win the Australian Open for the second time in a row. Last year, he defeated then-two-time Australian Open finalist Daniil Medvedev in the summit clash to win his first Major. Sinner is set to lock horns with Marcos Giron in the third round.
He has advanced to the third round after beating Nicolas Jarry and Tristan Schoolkate and became the fourth man to win 16 consecutive matches on hard-court Grand Slam events before turning 24.
The American, on the other hand, battled past Yannick Hanfmann and Tomas Martin Etcheverry to schedule his second meeting with the World No.1 on Saturday (January 18). In their previous encounter, the 23-year-old defeated Giron in straight sets in the 2023 Shanghai Masters.
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Gouri Das
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