Jannik Sinner is a ‘free’ athlete: until the panel of the Court of Arbitration for Sport of Lausanne (TAS) issues a ruling at the end of the arbitration, the tennis player will be able to regularly play in all tournaments. Sinner, number 1 in world tennis since last June, 23 years old, from Sesto Pusteria in South Tyrol, winner of the Australian Open in January and the US Open a few days ago, will now have to defend himself for his doping positivity, even though it is considered irrelevant in terms of sporting performance , which emerged in May last year. There is no certain time yet to know whether Sinner will be disqualified or acquitted.
After the appeal presented by the World Anti-Doping Agency on 26 September – news made known by Wada this morning – the Tas will have to formalize the panel of three judges called to give their ruling: one appointed by the Tas, one by Wada and one by Sinner. There are Italian judges, but the player does not necessarily have to appoint one of the same nationality.
Wada has filed an appeal to shed light on the matter also because it considered incorrect, according to the rules in force, the sentence of the independent tribunal of the International Tennis Integrity Agency (Itia) which had acquitted Sinner for “no guilt or negligence” who had been found positive twice for clostebol. The double very short suspension period inflicted between March and April on the Italian tennis player, according to the world anti-doping code, is not contemplated.
Wada, which has already made it known that it will not release further communications, has passed the ball to the Tas which will have to take charge of all the documentation. At the end of the arbitration, the CAS will issue a sentence that could differ from the first instance, i.e. acquittal or accept Wada’s request, or make Sinner ineligible, therefore disqualifying, for a period of up to two years. Wada, criticized for not having appealed to the Tas regarding the positive results of the Chinese swimmers, asked for a minimum period of one year but then everything will depend on the Tas. For the moment, the CAS has not set any dates and there are already other hearings scheduled until mid-December but, if accepted, an emergency procedure cannot be ruled out.
