August 25, (THEWILL) – Serbian tennis star, Novak Djokovic, has urged for “clear protocols” and “standardised approaches” in tennis doping cases. The 37-year-old made these comments on Saturday in response to the recent announcement that world number one Jannik Sinner had avoided a ban despite two positive tests this year.
Djokovic, preparing to defend his US Open title, acknowledged the frustration among players due to the perceived lack of consistency in handling such cases. He pointed out that Sinner’s case was cleared almost immediately upon announcement, despite a five to six-month gap between the positive tests and the news reaching Sinner and his team.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion highlighted issues within the system, noting the absence of standardised and clear protocols. He expressed understanding for players questioning whether all cases are treated equally. Several players have suggested that Sinner received preferential treatment due to his ranking, questioning why the 23-year-old was not provisionally suspended during the investigation.
Sinner, who tested positive for low levels of the banned anabolic agent clostebol during the Indian Wells Masters in March and in an out-of-competition test eight days later, maintained that he was treated like any other player. He revealed that he had been provisionally suspended for several days, although this was not made public at the time. The Italian player successfully appealed on the grounds that the drug entered his system when his physiotherapist used a spray containing it to treat a cut before providing massage and sports therapy.
On Tuesday, the International Tennis Integrity Agency announced that Sinner had been cleared of wrongdoing. In response, Sinner has dismissed his physiotherapist and trainer, citing a loss of confidence. World number three Carlos Alcaraz hinted at the possibility of more undisclosed details in the case but refrained from criticising the ITIA decision.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
