Hyderabad: Australian Open 2025 winner Jannik Sinner has been banned from tennis for at least 3 months after he was found guilty over doping charges with immediate effect. Sinner and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) settled for the long-pending case that had been opened against him in 2024.
World No.1 Sinner had tested positive for a banned substance, the anabolic agent clostebol, last year. After the independent tribunal's decision in August 2024 to clear the player, WADA appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against the decision.
On the matter, the 23-year-old said that the substance entered his body through massages from a member of his support staff. The case was set to be heard by CAS in April.
"Mr Sinner will serve his period of ineligibility from 9 February 2025 to 11:59 pm on 4 May 2025," WADA said in a statement, which will make him eligible to return before the French Open. "Mr Sinner may return to official training activity from 13 April 2025."
WADA has formally withdrawn its appeal to CAS after they settled. “WADA accepts that Sinner did not intend to cheat and that his exposure to clostebol did not provide any performance-enhancing benefit and took place without his knowledge as the result of the negligence of members of his entourage,” the statement added.
"Under the terms of the agreement, Sinner will serve his period of ineligibility from February 9, 2025, to 11:59 pm on May 4, 2025 (which includes a credit for four days previously served by the athlete while he was under a provisional suspension). As per the Code Article 10.14.2, Sinner may return to official training activity from April 13, 2025. In light of the case resolution agreement, WADA has formally withdrawn its appeal to CAS,” the statement further added.
Sinner, who won the 2025 Australian Open in January, will have to serve a three-month ban from February 9 to May 4, four days having already been served under provisional suspension, and will be allowed to return to training from April 13.
With the French Open scheduled to start on May 25, He will be allowed to participate in the second grand slam of the season at the Roland Garros in Paris.
