Jannik Sinner, the world’s top-ranked tennis player and a Forbes 30 Under 30 alumnus, tested positive twice for a banned steroid in March, but will avoid a ban from competition after an independent tribunal on Tuesday ruled Sinner had “no fault” for either test, suggesting his doctor unintentionally contaminated him.
The Forbes 30 Under 30 alumnus became the first Italian to be named the world’s top-ranked tennis … [+]
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), an independent tribunal appointed by Sports Resolution, a private firm that regularly oversees doping cases in sports, said Jannik bears “no fault or negligence” after testing positive for the banned anabolic steroid clostebol at the BNP Paribas Open in March.
Sinner, 23, faced a temporary ban for the positive tests, which he appealed by arguing he was unknowingly contaminated by his physiotherapist.
An investigation by the ITIA found clostebol was obtained by Sinner’s trainer and given to Sinner’s physiotherapist, Giacomo Naldi, who used the steroid to treat a cut on his left hand.
Clostebol was then transferred from Naldi—who was not wearing a glove—to Sinner after he gave Sinner full-body massages and applied bandages to Sinner’s feet, though Sinner was not aware Naldi was using the drug, the ITIA said.
Despite the ruling, the ITIA said Sinner is still stripped of the $325,000 and ranking points he earned while playing at the BNP Paribas Open, during which Sinner lost in the semifinals to Carlos Alcaraz, who won the tournament.
Sinner’s lawyer, Jamie Singer, said in a statement that Sinner is “responsible for whatever is in his system, even when entirely unaware of it,” while Sinner added he will “now put this challenging and deeply unfortunate period behind me.”
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The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) said in a statement Sinner’s investigation “underscores the need for players and their entourages to take utmost care in the use of products or treatments.”
Sinner, who won the Cincinnati Open on Monday, has the second-best odds (+200) of winning the U.S. Open, which starts Aug. 26, according to DraftKings. This means a $10 bet placed on Sinner winning the tournament would result in a $30 payout. Alcaraz is favored to win the tournament with +150 odds.
Sinner—who holds endorsement deals with Gucci and Rolex, among others—was included in Forbes’ European 30 Under 30 list for sports and games in July. He became the first Italian to be named the world’s top-ranked player after winning the Australian Open and the ATP Masters 1000 in Miami, while also reaching the semifinals at the French Open. In 2021, Sinner became the youngest player to enter the world’s top 10 and the first player born in the 2000s to do so.
