Jannik Sinner could face doping ban after failed drug test

In March 2023, Jannik Sinner tested positive for the banned anabolic steroid clostebol during the Indian Wells tournament in the United States. The detection occurred on March 10 and again on March 18, leading to a provisional suspension. Despite this, Sinner successfully appealed the suspension twice and continued to compete while investigations were underway. An independent tribunal was convened by the International Tennis Integrity Agency in August 2023, which accepted Sinner's explanation for the trace amounts of clostebol found in his system, citing contamination during a treatment by his physiotherapist. Sinner's defense involved a claim that a coach had used a spray containing the substance on a wound. However, an appeal by the World Anti-Doping Agency challenged the tribunal's decision, arguing that Sinner bore some responsibility despite any unintentional ingestion of the substance. Brisbane-based lawyer Tim Fuller, who previously represented swimmer Shayna Jack in a similar doping case, suggested that WADA's appeal could lead to Sinner being sanctioned with a ban of one to two years. Fuller highlighted that under strict liability principles, athletes are ultimately accountable for the substances found in their bodies and indicated that even a very small quantity could carry significant regulatory consequences for an athlete's career.