ATP Slammed Over Sinner's Doping Let-Off

The ATP received massive backlash from fans and players for letting off Jannik Sinner without a ban, despite the World No. 1 failing two drug tests earlier this year.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) said an independent tribunal had cleared Sinner to continue competing.

Sinner's coach Darren Cahill came to his ward's defence, saying: 'He would never do anything intentionally.'

The Italian tested positive for clostebol at Indian Wells in March with low quantities of the banned substance found in his system again after another test days later but he successfully challenged automatic provisional suspensions.

He is now free to compete at the August 26-September 8 US Open, the final Grand Slam of the year.

In an interview on ESPN, Cahill spoke out about the integrity of the world number 1.

'Jannik would never do anything intentionally. He was in an unfortunate situation.

'The truth came out, he was not at fault or negligent, and I hope he can move past this, play, and improve.

'There would have been a big change in his physical appearance and his enthusiasm for being on the court, but it wore him down physically and mentally, he had tonsillitis and missed the Olympics. We are not expecting any punishment, we are just grateful that there is no sanction.'

Sinner, who lost in the semi-finals at Indian Wells, was stripped of 400 ranking points and $325,000 in prize money.

The Australian Open champion, who maintains his innocence, said the substance entered his system after receiving massages from his physiotherapist, who had used a spray containing clostebol for his own finger wound.

Former Wimbledon champion Simona Halep was provisionally suspended in October 2022 and later banned for four years for two separate anti-doping rule violations.

It was reduced to nine months in March, however, following an appeal in the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The leniency shown to Sinner didn't go down well with fans and players alike with Canadian Denis Shapavalov and Australian Nick Kyrgios making their opinions against the ATP's double standards clear.

'Whether Sinner was doping or not, this is not right. Plenty of players go through the same thing and have to wait months or years for their innocence to be declared. Not a good look,' British player Liam Broady wrote on his social media handles.

Former doubles British number one Tara Moore, who was sidelined for 19 months for failing a drug test before being cleared last year, took to social media to point out the contrast between how her case and Sinner's had been handles.

'I guess only the top players' images matter. I guess only the independent tribunal's opinion on the top players is taken as sound and right. Yet, they question them in my case. Just makes no sense.'

While Tuesday's decision is still subject to potential appeals by the World Anti-Doping Agency or the Italian Anti-Doping Agency, there were some who backed Sinner.