Nick Kyrgios has criticised the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) settlement with world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, which sees the Italian receive a three-month ban for an anti-doping violation but retain all titles and prize money.
Kyrgios, vocal about doping in tennis, called the decision a “sad day for tennis,” adding that “fairness in tennis does not exist.”
Sinner tested positive for the banned substance clostebol last year, which he claimed entered his system through massages and sports therapy from a member of his support team.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) cleared Sinner of wrongdoing, but WADA appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
So wada come out and say it would be a 1-2 year ban. Obviously sinners team have done everything in their power to just go ahead and take a 3 month ban, no titles lost, no prize money lost. Guilty or not? Sad day for tennis. Fairness in tennis does not exist.
— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) February 15, 2025
WADA accepted Sinner’s explanation, stating that he did not intend to cheat, and that his exposure to clostebol provided no performance-enhancing benefits.
However, under the code, athletes are held accountable for their entourage’s negligence. As a result, a three-month suspension was deemed appropriate.
Kyrgios took to social media, expressing frustration over the outcome, saying, “Obviously Sinner’s team have done everything in their power to just go ahead and take a 3-month ban, no titles lost, no prize money lost. Guilty or not? Sad day for tennis. Fairness in tennis does not exist.”
Sinner’s ban runs from February 9 to May 4, 2025, allowing him to return to training in April.
Source: Sydney Morning Herald.
