Jannik Sinner Doping Case Settled!
By Sara Botti, Head of the Italian Desk, Valloni, Attorneys at Law, Zurich, Switzerland
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), on 15 February 2025, withdrew its Appeal to CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport), which was filed in September 2024, and entered into a Case Resolution Agreement with the Italian number 1 men’s single tennis player, Jannik Sinner, whereby he will now serve a three-months’ suspension, for testing positive for the banned substance, clostebol, in March 2024.
This means that he will be free to compete as from 5 May 2025, and, in accordance with the provisions of Article 10.14.2 of the WADA Anti-Doping Code, Sinner will also be free to return to official training as from 13 April 2025.
WADA stated that, based on the unique set of facts of this case, a three-month suspension was deemed to be an appropriate outcome.
The Co-Respondents in the case, the International Tennis Federation and the International Tennis Integrity Agency, also accepted the Case Resolution Agreement.
This surprise development has not gone down well with lower ranking men’s tennis players, who take the view that there may one law for the rich, who can afford the fees of top international sports lawyers, and another for the poor, who cannot.
The outcome of this case has also been likened to banning a football player during the summer months!
Sara Botti may be contacted by e-mail at ‘
