Novak Djokovic-founded PTPA’s executive director blasts ATP’s ‘out of control anti-doping system’ for treating Jannik Sinner unfairly
World No. 1 Jannik Sinner's doping suspension from February 9 to May 4 has been deemed unfair and lenient by many.
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Ahmad Nassar (image via PTPA), Jannik Sinner (image via ATP)
The Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA), co-founded by Novak Djokovic and Vasek Pospisil in 2020, recently filed a class and action lawsuit against tennis governing bodies. The 163-page document covers various issues, including anti-competitive practices, prize money, ranking points, the tennis schedule, player welfare, and anti-doping/anti-corruption investigations.
World No. 1 Jannik Sinner‘s doping case is also a prominent fixture in the lawsuit document. Since the verdict of his case was released last month, many players have expressed their dissatisfaction with the preferential and lenient treatment imparted upon the Italian.
I’ve been consistent and clear on Jannik’s case. He was treated unfairly by an out-of-control, illegal, and not-fit-for-purpose anti-doping program… At the same time, others have pointed out that he seems to have been treated less unfairly than many other players.
Ahmad Nassar said in a statement
Jannik Sinner twice tested positive last year for the banned anabolic steroid clostebol. But, he was cleared of wrongdoing by a panel of three independent experts who concluded that he bore no fault. However, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) appealed the panel’s finding to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS), seeking a ban of between one and two years.
The hearing for their appeal was initially scheduled in mid-April. However, a few weeks after Sinner’s Australian Open win, the body accepted Sinner’s explanation that the substance entered his body inadvertently due to the use of a spray by his physiotherapist.
WADA, in the second week of February, announced that it had settled an agreement with Sinner’s representatives for a suspension from February 9 to May 4. Bearing responsibility for the negligence of his entourage, they deemed a three-month suspension appropriate for this case.
PTPA demands fairness
The PTPA complaint accuses the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) of double standards, stating that there was no investigation that dragged for over a year into a prominent player who had not vocalized any issues with the ‘cartel’. ‘Cartel’ is the term they are using to describe the tennis governing bodies.
The solution here is not to treat him more unfairly, in line with other players. Nor is the solution even to treat other players as unfairly as Jannik. Our solution is to treat all players fairly… If someone is not at fault, as adjudicated by the ITIA and WADA, how is it possible that the case still took nearly a year to be resolved, and still resulted in a three-month suspension that is still being served as we speak? The system is not working and must change.
Ahmad Nassar added
Ahmad Nassar, the executive director of PTPA, spoke extensively about the union’s stance and issues with Sinner’s case. Nassar reiterated that the PTPA demands a fair and just system for treating all doping cases.
What has Jannik Sinner been doing during suspension?
During his three-month suspension, Jannik Sinner has been seen keeping himself occupied in many different ways apart from training. He went skiing in February in his hometown in Sexten Dolomites, a mountain range and a nature reserve in South Tyrol, Italy.
Sinner, who was appointed as the Global Brand Ambassador for Italian luxury house Gucci in July 2022, made an appearance at Gucci’s Fall/Winter show during the 2025 Milan Fashion Week. Milan Fashion Week is held biannually, in February and in September.
This year, the first show was held between February 25 and March 3, 2025, with Gucci being the fashion event’s opener. At Milan Fashion Week, Sinner was also spotted sitting in the front row with Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief of Vogue.
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