Former WTA player talks about the “strange” doping case of Jannik Sinner

Former Austrian tennis player Barbara Schett finds the decision on the doping case of Jannik Sinner "good" and "confusing"

Former WTA player talks about the “strange” doping case of Jannik Sinner

Jannik Sinner and Barbara Schett (via Instagram)

In an interview with Kicker, former Austrian tennis player Barbara Schett talked about the “strange” doping case of Jannik Sinner. A hearing was initially scheduled on April 16-17 for the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) appeal, which sought to ban Sinner for a period between one and two years. However, the body, in February accepting Sinner’s explanation, and settled for a suspension of three months for the Italian.

Schett commented that she found the wording of this decision rather strange. It leaves room for a lot of ambiguity, where many others are also confused about the transparency of the process and to what extent Sinner is guilty.

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The timing and duration of the ban have also been considered rather biased and convenient for the World No. 1, as during this period he will not miss any Grand Slams and can return back to tour at the Italian Open, where he will enjoy the support of the home crowd.

Barbara Schett remarked that she believes Jannik Sinner‘s story. But she also added that just because one knows someone and like them doesn’t mean they’re innocent. However, Schett really thinks that it was Sinner’s physiotherapist’s mistake who contaminated Sinner with a banned anabolic steroid, clostebol, by use of a spray. She also believes that Sinner must now face the consequences, bearing a degree of accountability towards his entourage’s negligence.

The news came surprisingly early for me because it was originally said that a decision would be made in April. I find the wording interesting—that a joint solution was found. That sounds kind of strange. Is he guilty now or not? WADA said that he did not dope intentionally, and he was banned anyway. It’s a bit confusing, but the three months are obviously good for him. The timing is ideal because he can play again in Rome. Of course, that caused a sh*tstorm, especially on social media, because everyone has an opinion these days.

Barbara Schett via Kicker

In her opinion, the actual problem is the opaque process and the way the WADA and the CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport) handle things. Many players now have the impression that they can now negotiate with the WADA about the length of their ban, and nobody knows what’s going on anymore. She emphasized that the WADA needs to create more precise and stricter rules so that there is more clarity in future doping cases.

Jannik Sinner attends the Milan Fashion Week during his ban

During his suspension, which ranges from February 9 to May 4, Jannik Sinner has been seen keeping himself occupied in many different ways. He went skiing a few days back in his hometown in Sexten, Dolomites, a mountain range and a nature reserve in South Tyrol, Italy.

Jannik Sinner Anna WIntour
Jannik Sinner and Anna Wintour (via Instagram)

Sinner recently made an appearance at Gucci’s Fall/Winter show during the 2025 Milan Fashion Week. Milan Fashion Week is held bianually, in February and in September. This year, the first show is underway from February 25 to March 3, 2025, with Italian luxury house Gucci being the fashion event’s opener.

At the Milan Fashion Week, Sinner was also spotted sitting in the front row with Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief of Vogue. Vogue plays a crucial role in Milan Fashion Week as both a media authority and trendsetter, providing in-depth runway coverage, exclusive interviews, and real-time updates that shape global fashion conversations.

Sinner was appointed as the Global Brand Ambassador for Gucci in July 2022. He has since then been seen carrying custom Gucci duffle bags at various tournaments such as the 2023 Wimbledon Championships, the 2023 ATP Finals, the 2024 French Open and the exhibition tournament, the Six Kings Slam, among others.