Jannik Sinner comments on Nicolas Jarry’s doping suspension after escaping potential ban himself recently
Jannik Sinner says he doesn't know the full details of Nicolas Jarry's doping case, despite contrasting outcomes after failed drug test.
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Nicolas Jarry and Jannik Sinner (via X)
Jannik Sinner launched his Australian Open title defense with a straight-sets win over Nicolas Jarry at the Rod Laver Arena. However, the match put in the spotlight the player’s contrasting doping cases. The former failed two drug tests in March last year and more or less came unscathed, while the latter got an 11-month suspension for doping in 2019.
Jarry was banned from the men’s circuit between December 2019 and November 2020. The Chilean lost all his ATP rankings points after testing positive for ligandrol and stanozolol, two anabolic steroids. Though an independent investigation later revealed that the consumption was accidental and caused by a contaminated vitamin supplement, he was still suspended.
On the other hand, Sinner tested positive for clostebol in March 2024 but was allowed to keep playing. The Italian star defended that the banned substance entered his system following massages from his former physio, Giacomo Naldi. Surprisingly, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) accepted his defense and was not suspended.
At the Australian Open on Monday, the two players met on the court, with Sinner coming out on top with a 7-6 (7-2) 7-6 (7-5) 6-1 win over the Chilean. During Sinner’s press conference, he revealed that Jarry’s case and his are completely different, but feels sympathy for him.
What I can say also passing also these kind of things, we got treated in the same way. There’s the protocol. If the protocol has some issues or problem, then it’s not my fault, you know? Of course, I’m very sorry for the players who are passing these kind of things. But I don’t know exactly the details about his case and my case. I know only what happened to me. I knew what I have to pass. It’s basically still on, mine. I have to do some stuff.
Jannik Sinner said
However, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) appealed Sinner’s case to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS). The anti-doping body seeks at least a two-year ban on Sinner, and the case will be heard in April.
At the end of the day I was always judged that I was innocent. The amount I had in my body is less than a billionth of a gram and it was contamination. I don’t know exactly the details what he had.
Jannik Sinner added
Nicolas Jarry demands the same support Jannik Sinner got
Five years have passed since Nicolas Jarry was suspended for doping, but he is yet to move on. The Chilean struggled for months due to the 11-month ban and had to start his career fresh after serving his suspension time. He earned the best result of his career last year after reaching the final of the Italian Open in Rome.
Unfortunately, he lost the title to Alexander Zverev in straight sets. He was interviewed by a Chilean Magazine before the match against Jannik Sinner. Jarry told the outlet that he would have loved to get the support that Sinner got.
I would have liked the same support he got when it happened to me. That’s something that affects me personally. I try to work on it, to talk about it, to not let it affect me, but it’s something I still can’t fully move on from.
Nicolas Jarry said via La Tercera
However, Jarry is out of the Australian Open singles, but his doping case is a testament to how impartial the tennis body has been. In recent months, the likes of Nick Kyrgios and Novak Djokovic have criticized the manner in which the ITIA handled Sinner’s doping case.
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Victor Okechukwu
(688 Articles Published)