Iga Swiatek draws comparisons of her doping scandal with Jannik Sinner and Simona Halep
Iga Swiatek completed a one-month suspension as per the order of the tennis authorities and will be eligible for the Australian Open.
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Iga Swiatek, Simona Halep and Jannik Sinner (via X)
Iga Swiatek has said that comparing her doping case to others is difficult because “each case is completely different.” The five-time Grand Slam champion tested positive for trimetazidine, a banned substance, in August before the Cincinnati Open.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) determined that Swiatek bore “no significant fault or negligence.” She explained that the substance entered her body through contaminated non-prescription medication she used for jet lag and sleep. As a result, she received a one-month suspension.
I know that people need to automatically compare such situations to others that have already happened, but the truth is that each of these cases is completely different. And the process of proving innocence will also be different. It’s hard to compare me to Sinner, to Halep, to Kamil Majchrzak, because each of us is struggling with a different problem.
Iga Swiatek said on TN24
Swiatek’s suspension lasted from September 12 to October 4. During this period, she missed the WTA 1000 events in Beijing and Wuhan. She returned to play at the WTA Finals in Riyadh in November and ended her season at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Malaga. The World No.2 is now eligible to compete at the United Cup and the Australian Open.
I think this is a question more for ITIA than for the player. My fate, just like the fates of others, was in their hands and they decide how each case will turn out. I trust that this process is objective, that everything is done according to the regulations and no one judges a player this way or that way because of his position. But whether it is really like that, I think this is a question for ITIA.
Iga Swiatek added
In contrast, Jannik Sinner avoided a ban after twice testing positive for clostebol in March, but the World Anti-Doping Agency has appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Meanwhile, Simona Halep initially received a four-year ban in September for testing positive for roxadustat at the 2022 US Open. However, her ban was reduced to nine months in March after an appeal, allowing her to return to competition immediately.
Iga Swiatek reveals the amount she used to clear her doping case
In a candid interview on Polish television, Iga Swiatek revealed that her financial resources allowed her to hire top experts for her doping case. The five-time Grand Slam champion tested positive for trimetazidine at the Cincinnati Open in August and was informed of the result in September.
I spent about $70,000 on a lawyer, €15,000 on expert opinions and tests. On top of that, there was also the loss of the financial prize for Cincinnati, but – to be honest – it didn’t matter to me. The most important thing was to prove my innocence. I give these amounts in order to make people realise the problems faced by athletes who don’t make as much money as I do on the court and play sports in which salaries are much lower.
Iga Swiatek said on TN24
Swiatek presented her case to the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) in October. During her provisional suspension, she missed three tournaments in Asia, including key events. On November 28, the ITIA concluded that Swiatek bore “no significant fault or negligence.” They issued her a one-month suspension, most of which she had already served in October.
While speaking to Anita Werner on Fakty po Faktach on TVN24, Swiatek shared her thoughts about the situation. She was asked how she felt upon learning about the failed test.
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Fahad Hamid
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