Former French Open Finalist Sara Errani Has Doping Ban Increased

Sara Errani has been issued a 10-month doping ban following an appeal made by the Italian anti-doping agency to the Court of Arbitration of Sport.

The former world No.5 was issued a two-month suspension by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) in 2017 after testing positive for letrozole. A drug commonly used for cancer treatment that can also be used to gain mass and as a masking agent. The ITF concluded in their investigation that Errani never deliberately intended to consume the substance. It though that Errani’s food was contaminated with the drug by accident by her mother, who was taking Letrozole at the time.

Errani served her ban during the second half of last year before returning to the tour in October. In November the Italian anti-doping agency (Nado) presented their case to the CAS for her ban to be extended to two years. Arguing that her original sentence was too light. They cited the case of Italian rower, Niccolò Mornati, as one of they key reasons. Mornati was issued with a four-year ban before it was later reduced to two years after testing positive for letrozole.

“The CAS Panel upheld Nado Italia’s appeal and imposed a ten-month period of ineligibility, effective immediately. The period of ineligibility of two months served from 3 August 2017 through 2 October 2017 will be credited against the total period of ten months.” The CAS said in a statement.
“The Panel concluded that the Athlete’s personal departure from the objective and subjective standards of care, expected to be exercised by her, together with her mother’s fault which is imputed to her, amounted to a light degree of fault, however it its upper range, and determined that a period of ineligibility of ten months is to be imposed on the Athlete.”

During the case, Errani also made an appeal for the CAS to overturn the disqualification of her results between 16 February 2017 to 7 June 2017. It was on the first day of that period where Errani tested positive for the banned substance. The CAS has ruled against her appeal by saying that she was made aware that she was at risk of ‘a disqualification of results’ after not taking a voluntary suspension.

Errani has been ordered to pay 4000 Swiss francs to her national anti-doping agency. Furthermore, all of her points won since returning from the two-month ban will now be erased.

During her career, the 31-year-old has won nine singles and 27 doubles titles on the WTA Tour. She was also runner-up to Maria Sharapova at the 2012 French Open.