Jannik Sinner’s clearance by the ITIA (International Tennis Integrity Agency) to play on the ATP tour despite two failed drug tests recently shocked the tennis world. The ITIA did not get a word out that there was an investigation into the matter until their announcement of Sinner’s innocence on Tuesday, August 20.
In light of the news, lets take a look at five players and the drug controversies they were mixed-up in.
#1 Andre Agassi
Andre Agassi hung up his racquet in 2006 and brought his two-decade long career to a close. In 2009, the eight-time Grand Slam champion released his autobiography, Open. In the book, Agassi shockingly detailed his addiction to the drug crystal methamphetamine, also known as crystal meth, in the late 90’s.
He confessed about lying to the ATP to avoid a ban, stating that he accidentally consumed his assistant drink that was laced with the substance. Agassi later experienced a slump in his form, falling out of the Top 100 in 1997.
The American took a break and committed to getting clean that year and turned himself around completely, later claiming the 1999 French Open and the US Open.
#2 Maria Sharapova
Maria Sharapova broke through when she won her first Grand Slam at the 2004 Wimbledon Championships, defeating two-time defending champion Serena Williams. The Russian later added four more Grand Slam trophies to her mantle.
However, Sharapova was tested positive for meldonium, a drug that increases blood flow to the heart, after the 2016 Australian Open. In her defence, Sharapova stated that she had being taking the drug as prescribed her doctor for almost a decade. The tennis star added that she was unaware that the WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) had banned it in January, a little before the Australian Open began in 2016.
“I had been legally taking the medicine for the past 10 years, but on January 1 the rules had changed, and meldonium became a prohibited substance, which I had not known,” she told reporters at a press conference in Los Angeles in 2016.
Maria Sharapova received a two-year ban that was later reduced to 15 months by the Iternational Tennis Federation for the failed drug test. The then 32-year-old returned to the WTA tour in 2017 and retired from the game in 2020.
#3 Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal claimed his record extending 14th French Open title in 2022. However, the former World No. 1 was battling a chronic foot injury at the time. He was diagnosed with Müller-Weiss syndrome and required pain-killing injections that numbed his foot.
Former French Minister for Health and Sport Roselyne Bachelot at the time went on television after Nadal’s 2022 French Open win and claimed that the Spaniard had cheated and the authorities were covering up his drug use. Similar accusations had also previously been made by former French Open champion Yannick Noah in 2011 and by former Belgian pro Christophe Rochus in 2013.
The claims were eventully termed baseless since Rafael Nadal had not failed any drug test. Nadal later spoke about the controversy and clarified that he would never resort to drugs for quicker recovery.
“You know what? I heard a few times again about the doping and I’m a little bit tired of that. I am a completely clean guy. I work so much during all my career, and when I get an injury, I get an injury. I never take nothing to be back quicker,” Nadal said as per espn.in in 2016.
“And never had no temptation of doing something wrong. I believe in the sport and in the values of the sport. It is an example for the kids. If I am doing something that goes against that, I will be lying to myself, not to my opponents,” he added.
WADA also later backed Rafael Nadal and cleared the injections taken by the Spaniard.
#4 Simona Halep
Simona Halep tested positive for the banned blood-boosting substance Roxadustat after the 2022 US Open. The substance was found in a urine test and the Romanian was handed a four-year ban at the time.
The two-time Grand Slam champion appealed to the CAS (Court of Artbritation for Sports) claiming that she had unknowingly consumed contaminated supplements. It took two years before the CAS concluded it’s investigation and reduced Halep’s ban to nine months after her hearing in January 2024.
Halep made a comeback with a wildcard at this year’s Miami Open. She is currently struggling with injuries and has pulled out from the upcoming US Open.
#5 Jannik Sinner
Jannik Sinner clinched his maiden Grand Slam title at the 2024 Australian Open. He later followed it up with title-wins at the ATP Rotterdam, the Miami Open and the Halle Open.
Hours after his latest title-win at the Cinncinati Masters, the ATP announced that Sinner had tested positive for Clostebol, a banned anabolic steroid during the 2024 Indian Wells and has been cleared to play on tour.
The drug was found to be one billionth of a gram in the 23-year old’s urine test. Jannik Sinner has claimed that the drug entered his system through bare-handed massages and the use of a healing spray used on him by his physio Giacomo Naldi.
Sinner has spoken about the incident and expressed his desire to put the whole thing behind him.
“I will now put this challenging and deeply unfortunate period behind me,” Sinner said. “I will continue to do everything I can to ensure I continue to comply with the ITIA’s anti-doping programme and I have a team around me that are meticulous in their own compliance.”
The World No. 1 will be gearing up for the 2024 US Open, the qualifiers for which are underway.
