WADA chief reveals ‘new understanding’ in Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek’s drug test scandals

WADA director Olivier Niggli thinks improved technology is the reason why Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek avoided lengthy ban.

WADA chief reveals ‘new understanding’ in Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek’s drug test scandals

Jannik Sinner, Iga Swiatek (Images via X)

Jannik Sinner had landed in hot water when he failed doping test and now Iga Swiatek is surrounded by a similar controversy. But why they were not handed a lengthy ban by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA)?

Olivier Niggli, the director of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) thinks technology is probably the reason why Sinner and Swiatek avoided lengthy ban. As the banned substances were present in both Sinner and Swiatek’s samples in small amounts, it was accepted that they did not violate doping rules. Niggli now asked whether doping agencies should give a green light to micro-dosing.

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Today there is a problem of contamination. There are no more (doping cheats) than before, but laboratories are more efficient in detecting infinitesimal quantities of doping substances. We will have to open a working table to understand how to manage this situation. The quantities found are so small that it is possible to become contaminated by doing even trivial things.

Olivier Niggli told L’Equipe (H/T: Tennis365)

Sinner tested positive for clostebol due to a spray his ex-physio Giacomo Naldi used and faced two mandatory suspensions but the WADA had appealed before the Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS) to ban him and the verdict is yet to come.

Swiatek’s system was contaminated my melatonin which had trimetazidine (TMZ), a banned heart medication. She has been handed a one-month ban which will be lifted a few days later.

Ellen Perez reveals how Iga Swiatek could have avoided suspension

Iga Swiatek was taking melatonin to deal with sleep and jet lag issues but Australian player Ellen Perez suggested that the World No.2 could have avoided the doping controversy as she revealed on X that WTA provides free melatonin.

Iga Swiatek (3)
Iga Swiatek (Image via X)

Well it shouldn’t actually happen to any other player because the WTA provides us with free melatonin through there partnership with usana. I get the point you are trying to make but don’t take risks where you don’t have to. Very avoidable situation if you take what’s provided.

Ellen Perez wrote on X

Check out her post here:

The suspension, although stopped her from participating in three Asian tournaments (Korea Open, China Open, and Wuhan Open) won’t affect her schedule now as she’s suspended till December 4th. Because of missing mandatory tournaments, the 23-year-old lost the World No. 1 position to Aryna Sabalenka who finished the year for the first time as Year-End No. 1.