Tennis fans were stunned by the news of Jannik Sinner‘s positive test for a banned substance.
His coach, Darren Cahill, quickly defended him, insisting he would never intentionally take anything illegal. This was unexpected as Sinner had just won the Cincinnati Open against Frances Tiafoe, marking his third Masters-1000 title.
But on Tuesday, it was revealed that Sinner tested positive twice in March during the Indian Wells Open where he reached the semifinals.
Details of the Incident:
Sinner didn’t face suspension and was cleared after an investigation showed he wasn’t at fault. Only a billionth of a gram of clostebol was found in his system each time. He explained that his fitness trainer, Umberto Ferrara, bought trofodermin spray to heal cuts and his physiotherapist, Giacomo Naldi, used it on a cut on Sinner’s finger.
| Name | Age | Points | Stats 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| #NAME? Jannik Sinner | 23 | 15,405 | 33 - 3 |
Sinner told investigators that tiny amounts of clostebol got into his body from the spray Naldi used without gloves during massages. He insisted he didn’t know about the use of trofodermin.
The World No. 1’s provisional suspension was lifted after an appeal each time he tested positive. Though not suspended, Sinner lost ranking points and prize money from Indian Wells but faced no other penalties.
Reactions from Other Players:
Some players weren’t happy with how things were handled. Nick Kyrgios wanted a two-year ban for Sinner and others were upset about keeping it secret for five months. Fans might think this whole situation is unfair.
Cahill remains loyal to Sinner, saying he would never knowingly take something banned and called it an unfortunate situation that has now been resolved.
“He would never ever intentionally do anything. He was in an unfortunate situation. The truth came out; no fault, no negligence, and hopefully he can put this behind him and get better.”
Cahill also explained why Sinner could keep playing despite being provisionally suspended initially—a point causing much debate among fans online.
They traced back to where it happened and detailed everything about the spray to allow him to continue playing.
This contrasts with Simona Halep’s case where she couldn’t explain how roxadustat entered her system and thus couldn’t play after testing positive.
Not everyone is convinced by Cahill’s explanation; some believe any player who tests positive should be banned no matter what while others defend Sinner believing it’s time to move past this incident.
What do you think? Should players like Sinner be allowed back if they prove innocence?
