Tennis Australia chief executive Craig Tiley has stood by reigning men’s champion Jannik Sinner after the World Anti-Doping Agency appealed against the decision not to suspend him for two positive doping tests.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), sport’s highest tribunal, announced last week that it had set a date for a closed-doors hearing on April 16-17 at its headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, over the world No.1’s two positive doping tests from last year.
Reigning AO champions Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner bring their 2024 trophies to the official 2025 draw ceremony.Credit: Eddie Jim
CAS will hear an appeal by WADA against the sport’s decision not to ban Sinner, despite the Italian testing positive twice for the anabolic steroid clostebol in March.
Tiley told media on Sunday that Sinner was an exemplary player.
“I’d start by saying tennis is rigorous in its anti-doping policy,” Tiley said. “The sport itself is not under a cloud, the sport itself is doing really well.
“I will talk to my experience with Jannik – you won’t find more of a quality individual, and it’s a process he goes through. We as an organisation have dealt with Jannik as a former champion. How he deals with people behind the scenes, in the corridors and with his peers is excellent.
-“He is an excellent example of what a true champion is.”
When asked if a finding against Sinner would tarnish the Australian Open, Tiley said: “No, it won’t, as we fully expect that when all those decisions are made, he will be fine.”
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) ruled the test results were down to accidental contamination, but WADA is challenging the verdict, asking for double grand slam winner Sinner, victor in the US Open as well as Melbourne last year, to be banned for between one and two years.
CAS gave no timetable for any verdict to be given, though the parties could request a fast-track decision before the French Open begins on May 25.
Sinner’s explanation for the positive tests was that they were due to a massage from a trainer who used the substance after cutting his own finger, and it was accepted by the ITIA.
With AAP
