World number one Tennis player Jannik Sinner has agreed to an immediate three-month suspension from tennis after reaching a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) following two positive drug tests last year.
The 23-year-old Italian, who won the Australian Open last month, will be suspended from 9 February to 4 May, making him eligible to compete in the French Open, which begins on 19 May.
WADA had previously appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) after the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) initially decided not to impose a suspension. The agency had sought a ban of up to two years but ultimately accepted Sinner's explanation that his positive test resulted from inadvertent contamination. The banned substance, clostebol, was found in a treatment applied by his physiotherapist.
WADA stated that it accepted Sinner "did not intend to cheat," that the drug provided "no performance-enhancing benefit," and that the contamination occurred "without his knowledge due to the negligence of his entourage." However, under anti-doping regulations and CAS precedent, athletes are held accountable for their teams’ actions. Given the unique circumstances, a three-month ban was deemed appropriate.
In a statement through his legal team, Sinner acknowledged responsibility for his team's actions and accepted WADA’s resolution. "This case has been looming over me for nearly a year, with a decision potentially not coming until the end of 2025. I recognize WADA's strict regulations are crucial to protecting the sport I love, and I have therefore agreed to the three-month sanction," he said.
Sinner had previously been cleared by an independent panel, which determined he bore "no fault or negligence" after testing positive for low levels of clostebol in March 2024. The contamination was linked to an over-the-counter spray his physiotherapist used to treat a hand injury. However, WADA challenged this ruling, arguing that a finding of "no fault or negligence" was incorrect under the sport’s regulations.
Initially, a CAS hearing was scheduled for April, but with this agreement, WADA has withdrawn its appeal. Sinner will miss key tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami, as well as several clay-court events leading up to the French Open. His next eligible tournament will be the Italian Open, starting on 7 May.
WADA confirmed that Sinner can resume "official training activity" from 13 April, while the ITIA stated that the final outcome aligns with its original findings.
