WADA’s scientific experts confirm their stance on Iga Swiatek’s doping case
Iga Swiatek was suspended for a month at the back end of last year due to a positive doping test for trimetazidine (TMZ).
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Iga Swiatek (Image via X)
Iga Swiatek will not face an appeal from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) over her one-month suspension for a failed drug test. On Monday (January 20), WADA stated that Swiatek’s explanation for the positive result was “plausible.”
The announcement came shortly after Swiatek’s dominant 6-0, 6-1 win over Eva Lys, which advanced her to the Australian Open quarterfinals. Swiatek is a five-time Grand Slam champion and a former World No. 1 in women’s tennis.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) confirms that following a thorough review, it will not lodge an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in the case of Polish tennis player, Iga Świątek, who tested positive for trimetazidine (TMZ), a prohibited substance, in August 2024.
WADA informed in a full statement on their website
WADA did choose to appeal the decision in a separate case involving men’s No. 1 player Jannik Sinner. Unlike Swiatek, Sinner was not suspended despite testing positive for an anabolic steroid in March. A hearing for the Italian’s case is scheduled for April at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland.
WADA has conducted a full review of the case file related to the ITIA decision, which it received on 29 November. WADA’s scientific experts have confirmed that the specific contaminated melatonin scenario, as presented by the athlete and accepted by the ITIA, is plausible and that there would be no scientific grounds to challenge it at CAS. Further, WADA sought advice from external legal counsel, who considered that the athlete’s contamination explanation was well evidenced, that the ITIA decision was compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code, and that there was no reasonable basis to appeal it to the CAS.
WADA added
Swiatek’s case was resolved in November by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA). She had tested positive for trimetazidine, a banned heart medication, in August. The ITIA accepted her explanation that the result was unintentional, caused by contamination in her melatonin, which she was taking for jet lag and sleep issues.
Iga Swiatek eases into the Australian Open quarterfinals
No. 2 seed Iga Swiatek reached the Australian Open quarterfinals for the second time. She defeated lucky loser Eva Lys 6-0, 6-1 in just 59 minutes. The Pole performed well, losing only one game in this match.
The five-time Grand Slam champion has been dominant in this tournament. She has lost only 11 games across four matches, most of which were lost in the first round against Katerina Siniakova. Swiatek is competing to regain the World No. 1 ranking.
To stay No. 1, Aryna Sabalenka must beat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the quarterfinals. If Swiatek also wins her quarterfinal, Sabalenka needs to reach the final. The winner will take the top spot if they face off in the final.
Swiatek played with precision and power against Lys. She hit 28 winners, including five clean return winners, while keeping her unforced errors to 18. Lys managed only seven winners and made 15 unforced errors.
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Fahad Hamid
(643 Articles Published)