After triumph at the US Open and having strengthened the first place in the ATP ranking, Jannik Sinner he thought he finally had Clostebol chapter closed. But it is not quite like that: the terms for a possible appeal at the TAS in Lausanne they are not expired at midnight yesterday, Monday 9th September, as initially believed. In reality, theWorld Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) has not appealed the acquittal of the Italian tennis player, but there is a twist that could reopen the case.
Wada appeal: when is the new deadline?
Less than a month ago, the number 1 in the ATP ranking was Exonerated by International Tennis Integrity Agency (Itia) regarding his positive Clostebol test, which emerged in March during the Indian Wells tournament. It seemed that the Italian champion could finally file the doping charges, but the world agency asked for further details from Itia, and this extended the terms for a possible appeal to the CAS. James Fitzgerald, spokesman for Wada, confirmed that they are still examining the material and that the final decision could come in ten days to two weeks.
Sinner and the doping case: here's what happened
In April, during the Indian Wells tournament, Jannik Sinner is positive result to a minimal trace of clostebol, a banned anabolic steroid. After a provisional suspension, Sinner appealed to the ITIA, which overturned the suspension, allowing him to continue in the tournament and participate in subsequent events such as Miami, Monte Carlo, Roland Garros, Wimbledon and Cincinnati. On August 15, the ITIA concluded that the contamination was accidental, not due to fault or negligence on Sinner's part.
La contamination It happened on February 13, when Sinner's athletic trainer, Umberto Ferrara, purchased a wound spray, “Trofodermin”, containing clostebol in Bologna. This spray was taken to Indian Wells, where the young Italian tennis player's physiotherapist, Giacomo Naldi, used it for a hand injury without knowing its composition. During the tournament, Naldi performed massages on Sinner, some without gloves, thus exposing the champion to contamination, given the presence of open wounds on his feet. The court found Sinner's explanations to be truthful, supported by medical experts such as Professor Jean-François Naud and Doctor Xavier de la Torre
Points and prizes lost at Indian Wells
Due to strict liability, Sinner had to give up the prize pool and points conquered in Indian Wells (400). Despite his triumph at the US Open and his second career Slam, the shadows of the Clostebol case have not completely disappeared. The South Tyrolean must now concentrate on his next commitments, from the Asian tournaments to the ATP Finals and the Davis Cup, hoping to leave the controversy behind him once and for all.
Wada Appeal: What's Sinner Risking?
Despite appearances, Wada may decide to appeal the sentence not to demonstrate an intentional use of the substance, but to establish partial guilt related to the behavior of Sinner's team. Despite this, according to the leaks, the World Anti-Doping Agency considered Itia's decision solid and convincing: no guilt or negligence on the part of the South Tyrolean in the Clostebol affair.
If the agency decides to appeal, the CAS would initiate the process, but the resolution of the case could take months due to communications and bureaucratic steps. While an appeal to the Swiss Federal Court is possible, it is considered unlikely given the rarity of such appeals. In any case, it would be difficult to obtain a retroactive ruling which could lead to the loss of tournament wins and its world number one status.
