Shortly before the US Open in mid-August, it was announced that Sinner had been cleared in a secret investigation by the ITIA (International Tennis Integrity Agency) after testing positive for the anabolic steroid clostebol in a tournament in March. His explanation of ingesting small amounts of clostebol via a physio’s fingers, which had been treated for a wound, during massage was accepted.
Sinner thought the matter was out of the world when the international anti-doping organization Wada announced on Saturday that it had appealed the verdict to the CAS arbitration court in Lausanne.
– I am still surprised but I will cooperate as I did before, Sinner said the day before his first match in the Shanghai Masters, according to AP.
Maybe not decided before the Australian Open
During the ITIA process, Sinner was questioned three times and he feels confident that it will go just as well in the hearings with Cas, where a three-judge panel is to be appointed.
– I am very sure that it will be very, very positive for me. I would be very, very surprised if it would be the opposite side, says Sinner who, in the event of a conviction, risks having his results since March, including the title in the US Open, deleted. A possible suspension would probably last for two years because the doping was accidental.
There is no timetable for Cas’s work on the case and it could possibly continue through the Australian Open in January where Sinner is the reigning champion. During the investigation, Sinner is free to compete.