A day after news that Jannik Sinner has accepted a three-month ban from tennis, some of the world’s best women players had a chance to share their views during media day at the Dubai Tennis Championships.
Sinner, who is the current US Open and Australian Open champion, reached an agreement with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) regarding two failed drugs tests last year. The 23-year-old tested positive for clostebol which was linked to an over-the-counter spray his former fitness coach, Umberto Ferrara, brought to treat a cut on his hand. Both the initial hearing and the WADA settlement concluded that Sinner never intentionally consumed a banned substance. However, he was deemed to have a degree of fault when it comes to ensuring those he employs are following anti-doping rules.
The development has put tennis’ anti-doping controls into the spotlight with world No.5 Jessica Pegula being one of the most vocal critics. Pegula, who is also a member of the WTA Player’s Council, is concerned about the level of fairness among players.
“I think my reaction is that, whether you think he did or you don’t, or whatever side you’re on, the process just seems to be completely not a process,” the AFP News Agency quoted the American as saying.
“It seems to just be whatever decisions and factors they take into consideration, and they just make up their own ruling.
“I don’t really understand how that’s fair for players when there’s just so much inconsistency and you have no idea.”
Pegula describes the emails sent to players regarding anti-doping cases as ‘an explanation of extreme or weird circumstances and cases‘ to justify their rulings. Arguing that there is a lack of consistency involved.
“If you’re clean or not, the process is completely broken,” she continued.
“I think it needs to be seriously looked at and considered.
“I feel like they have so much power to ruin someone’s career, as well. I think there needs to be something done about that because it just seems really unfair.
“I don’t think any of the players trust the process at all right now. Zero. It’s just a horrible look for the sport.”
As for others on the Tour, they speak openly about the fear of accidentally consuming a banned substance through ways such as contamination. Something which happened to Iga Swiatek last year who was given a one-month ban after testing positive for Trimetazidine which she later proved was caused by a contaminated sleep medication drug she was taking.
“I trust that the process at the end went fair,” Swiatek said of cases involving herself and Sinner. “We did all we needed and we followed the instructions, so there was no space and no point for WADA to appeal even, I would say.
“From the beginning, I knew that this was a contamination. The whole period when I was suspended was just, for me, something pretty unreal and something I couldn’t understand. But this is how it works.”
Amid the recent high-profile cases, world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka admits she is more cautious about leaving her drinks unattended.
“You just start to be more careful. For example, before I wouldn’t care about leaving my glass of water and go to the bathroom in a restaurant. Now, I’m not going to drink from the same glass of water,” said Sabalenka.
“You just become a bit more aware of stuff and this thing gets to your head that, like, if someone used a cream on you and you test positive, they’re going to go for you and they’re not going to believe you or anything.
“You just become too scared of the system. I don’t see how I can trust the system.”
Coco Gauff also has a similar view but believes more can be done to help ensure that players know what they can or can’t take in certain situations such as being unwell.
“Me personally, I’m not on any supplements or vitamins,” Gauff commented. “I only take Advil because I get scared to take medicine. But I definitely think the process needs to be a bit more up to date.
“I remember one time I was, like, sick, I didn’t know what I could take. I got a response two or three days later. At that point, don’t need it. But yeah, I definitely think the process needs to be more up to date when it comes to players knowing what we can and can’t take.”
NOTE – quotes via AFP/tennis.com
