Jannik Sinner Faces April Hearing Over Doping Appeal as Australian Open Begins

The World Anti-Doping Agency is challenging Sinner’s exoneration, seeking a potential one to two-year ban for the world number one tennis player.

Jannik Sinner, currently ranked world number one, tested positive for the banned steroid clostebol twice in March 2024 but was cleared by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) after claiming accidental contamination through a physiotherapist’s treatment.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has appealed the ITIA's decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), seeking a suspension of up to two years for Sinner, with a hearing scheduled for April 16-17 in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Sinner continues to compete, including defending his Australian Open title, but has expressed that the ongoing case weighs on his mind, though he maintains confidence in his innocence.
The handling of Sinner’s case, along with a similar doping case involving Iga Swiatek, has drawn criticism from players like Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios, who allege inconsistencies and favoritism in tennis' anti-doping processes.
Tennis officials, including ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi, insist the case has been handled impartially, while Sinner’s supporters, including Martina Navratilova, argue that the athlete has been unfairly targeted.