Iga Swiatek addresses Jannik Sinner, Simona Halep doping case comparisons with ‘truth’ message

Iga Swiatek has asserted that it is difficult to compare her doping cases to those of other players because “each of these cases is completely different.”
The five-time Grand Slam champion tested positive for the banned substance trimetazidine in August ahead of the Cincinnati Open.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced last week that Swiatek had received a one-month suspension as it was deemed she carried “no significant fault or negligence.”

Swiatek’s explanation that the substance entered her body due to the contamination of non-prescription medication she had been using for jet lag and sleep issues was accepted by the ITIA.

The Pole was provisionally suspended from September 12 to October 4, meaning she had already served 22 days of her ban on the day the news emerged. She was forced to miss WTA 1000 events in Beijing and Wuhan during the suspension period.

The world No 2 returned to action at the WTA Finals in Riyadh at the start of November before ending her season at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Malaga. Swiatek will be able to compete at her next two scheduled events: the United Cup and the Australian Open.

ATP world No 1 Jannik Sinner avoided a ban for twice testing positive for the anabolic steroid clostebol in March, although the Italian is awaiting the outcome of a World Anti-Doping Agency appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.