World number one Jannik Sinner has accepted a three-month suspension after reaching a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) over two positive drug tests last year.
The ban, effective from February 9 to May 4, means the Italian star will miss key tournaments but remains eligible for the French Open starting on May 19.
WADA, which had initially appealed against Sinner’s exoneration by an independent panel, acknowledged that the 23-year-old did not intend to cheat and gained no performance advantage from the banned substance, clostebol.
The contamination occurred inadvertently through a treatment by his physiotherapist, but under anti-doping regulations, athletes are held responsible for their team’s negligence.
Sinner: “This Case Had Been Hanging Over Me for Nearly a Year”
Expressing relief over the resolution, Sinner stated:
“I have always accepted that I am responsible for my team and realize WADA’s strict rules are an important protection for the sport I love. On that basis, I have accepted WADA’s offer to resolve these proceedings on the basis of a three-month sanction.”
Sinner initially tested positive in March 2024, after his physiotherapist treated a hand injury with an over-the-counter spray later found to contain clostebol. An independent panel ruled in August that Sinner bore “no fault or negligence,” but WADA appealed, seeking a ban of up to two years. With a drawn-out legal battle looming, Sinner opted for the settlement.
What This Means for Sinner’s Season
The suspension sidelines the Australian Open champion from major hardcourt events in Indian Wells and Miami, along with several clay tournaments leading up to Roland Garros.
However, he will be able to resume official training from April 13 and make his return at the Italian Open on May 7—just in time for the European clay swing.
Sinner’s case is the latest in a series of high-profile doping incidents in tennis, following Iga Swiatek’s one-month suspension last November.
While this setback temporarily halts his momentum, the young Italian will look to put this controversy behind him as he aims for another Grand Slam triumph in Paris.
