Jannik Sinner Cleared of Doping Charges After Tribunal Ruling

World men's number one Jannik Sinner was cleared of fault or negligence by an independent tribunal after failing two drug tests in March. The tribunal accepted that the anabolic agent clostebol entered his system through massages and sports therapy from a team member. This decision is subject to appeal.

World men's number one Jannik Sinner has been exonerated of any fault or negligence by an independent tribunal after failing two drug tests in March, according to the International Tennis Integrity Authority (ITIA) on Tuesday.

The tribunal found merit in Sinner's explanation that clostebol entered his system through massages and sports therapy conducted by a team member. The team member had been using an over-the-counter spray containing clostebol to treat a small wound on their own skin.

Following each positive test, Sinner faced provisional suspensions but successfully appealed to continue playing. The ruling, however, remains open to appeal by both the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the Italian Anti-Doping Agency (NADO Italia).

The Cincinnati Open winner expressed relief, stating that he had fully cooperated with the ITIA investigation. Sinner mentioned that the amount of clostebol found was less than a billionth of a gram and vowed to comply with anti-doping regulations rigorously.

The ATP supported the ruling and stressed the importance of integrity in the sport. Sinner is set to compete in the U.S. Open later this month.

(With inputs from agencies.)