Jannik Sinner tested positive for an anabolic steroid twice in March and was stripped of cash and ranking points at the Indian Wells Masters in California, but the world number one tennis player will not be suspended after an independent tribunal ruled the fouls were accidental.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) revealed the news on Tuesday, saying Sinner will be compensated $325,000 and 400 ranking points from the Indian Wells Masters, where he first tested positive.
“I will now turn the page on this trying and deeply unfortunate episode,” Sinner said in a statement released on social media. “I will continue to do everything I can to ensure that I continue to comply with the [programme] ITIA anti-doping, and I am surrounded by a team that scrupulously follows the regulations.”
Sinner won the Cincinnati Masters on Monday and will be among the favorites at the U.S. Open, which officially gets underway in New York next week.
The 23-year-old Italian, who won the Australian Open in January, was eliminated by eventual National Bank Montreal Open finalist Andrey Rublev earlier this month. Sinner also won the 2023 National Bank Toronto Open.
Sinner rose to No. 1 in the world rankings in June and is considered one of the brightest prospects in men’s tennis, along with Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz.
During the Masters in Indian Wells in March, Sinner tested positive — in small amounts — for clostebol, a synthetic anabolic steroid derived from testosterone that can be used for ophthalmological or dermatological purposes. It is the same substance that led to San Diego Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. being suspended from Major League Baseball.
Sinner tested positive for the substance again eight days later after testing outside a competition venue.
He was provisionally suspended based on the results of those tests, but his appeal was upheld and he was able to continue his activities on the ATP Tour.
According to ITIA, Sinner said the results came after a member of his support team used an over-the-counter spray containing clostebol to treat a small wound. The person then performed massages on Sinner.
ITIA said it accepted Sinner’s explanations and determined that the mistakes were accidental.
An independent panel held a hearing on August 15 and “concluded that there was no fault or negligence in this matter, resulting in no period of ineligibility,” according to the ITIA.
ITIA President and CEO Karen Moorhouse said “Sinner and his representatives” cooperated with her group “during the investigation.”
The World Anti-Doping Agency and the Italian Anti-Doping Agency will be able to challenge the ITIA’s decision.
Since the first positive test occurred in a tournament, Sinner will be relieved of his purse and ranking points for his participation in the semifinals at Indian Wells.
“We also wish to acknowledge the excellent investigation process and independent assessment of the facts under the Tennis Anti-Doping Program (TADP), which allowed him to continue playing,” the ATP said in a statement.
“This has been distressing for Jannik and his team, and it underscores the need for players and those around them to exercise the utmost caution when using any products or treatments. Integrity is paramount in our sport,” the ATP added.