DOHA, Qatar — Renowned tennis star Novak Djokovic has voiced his concern over a growing distrust among players toward the anti-doping bodies, following the recent three-month suspension of emerging talent Jannik Sinner. Djokovic highlighted a looming sentiment of “favoritism” towards the sport’s elite competitors.
The celebrated 24-time Grand Slam champion urged the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) to reassess their protocols for handling doping allegations, emphasizing that “the current framework is evidently ineffective.”
“Presently, there exists a significant distrust among players, both male and female, regarding WADA and ITIA and their entire operational process,” Djokovic expressed during the Qatar Open.
Recently, top-seeded Sinner reached an agreement with WADA to accept a brief suspension, allowing him to return to the court in time for the French Open in May without missing any Grand Slam tournaments. This decision came after the ITIA opted against suspending the player, attributing the incident to unintended contamination from a banned anabolic steroid last March.
Interestingly, Sinner’s short ban follows that of five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek, who accepted a one-month suspension in November after inadvertently consuming a banned substance through contaminated over-the-counter medication. Comparatively, both suspensions are significantly shorter than the typical penalties meted out to athletes in tennis and other sports for similar infractions.
“It certainly doesn’t reflect positively on our sport,” asserted Djokovic, the long-standing leader in men’s tennis rankings. “Many players I’ve engaged with in the locker room over the past few weeks and months have expressed dissatisfaction with how Sinner’s case has been managed.”
“A considerable number of players believe the process is unfair. There’s a prevalent feeling that favoritism exists. It seems that if you’re a top player with access to elite legal resources, you have significant influence on the outcome.”
Prior to accepting the suspension, Sinner was slated to compete in Qatar.
The circumstances surrounding Sinner’s case have already sparked discussions about possible double standards, with the ban facing backlash from fellow players. The positive results were initially kept private until August, following Sinner’s successful appeal against a provisional ban. He continued to achieve remarkable success, clinching the U.S. Open in September and the Australian Open in January.
Sinner attributed the presence of trace amounts of Clostebol in his sample to a massage he received from a trainer who had recently used the substance on his own injury—a justification that WADA accepted.
While Djokovic respects the innocence of both Sinner and Swiatek, he acknowledges the frustration shared by many players regarding the inconsistent management of doping allegations.
He referenced the case of former women’s world No. 1 Simona Halep, who faced a four-year ban after a positive test before her suspension was later reduced to nine months. Additionally, British player Tara Moore was suspended in May 2022, only to have her case prolonged for 18 months before it was revealed that her positive test stemmed from contaminated meat.
“This is a pivotal moment for us to critically evaluate the system,” Djokovic emphasized. “It’s clear that the current structure is failing. I sincerely hope that in the near future, the governing bodies from both tours and the broader tennis community will collaborate to establish a more effective approach in managing these cases.”
