World No 1 Jannik Sinner is handed three-month BAN from tennis after reaching settlement over two positive drugs tests last year

Jannik Sinner has been handed an immediate three-month ban from tennis. 

The 23-year-old, who claimed victory at the Australian Open last month, will serve the suspension from 9 February until 4 May after reaching a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) over his two positive doping tests last year.

WADA appealed an initial decision by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) who cleared the Italian of any wrongdoing after he tested positive on two occasions. 

In a statement on Saturday, the agency said: ‘The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) confirms that it has entered into a case resolution agreement in the case of Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner, with the player accepting a three-month period of ineligibility for an anti-doping rule violation that led to him testing positive for clostebol, a prohibited substance, in March 2024.

‘In September, WADA lodged an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in the case of Mr. Sinner, who had been found by an Independent Tribunal to bear no fault or negligence.

‘Notwithstanding this appeal, the circumstances surrounding this specific case meant that in order to ensure a fair and appropriate outcome, WADA was prepared to enter into a settlement agreement, in accordance with Article 10.8.2 of the World Anti-Doping Code.

‘Under the terms of the agreement, Mr. Sinner will serve his period of ineligibility from 9 February 2025 to 11:59 pm on 4 May 2025 (which includes a credit for four days previously served by the athlete while he was under a provisional suspension). As per the Code Article 10.14.2, Mr. Sinner may return to official training activity from 13 April 2025’.

The World No 1 will be eligible to play in the year’s next Grand Slam event, the French Open, which starts on 19 May. 

More to follow…