ARE WE PLAYING BY THE SAME RULES?

Cries of double standards rang out across the tennis world this week over the International Tennis Integrity Agency’s (ITIA) disparity in handling, punishment and timing of Sinner’s 3-month ban. His absence from competitive tennis coincidentally means he’s back to play his home tournament, the Rome Masters and will avoid missing any Grand Slams. Social channels have been flooded with comments from players and coaches who’ve rightly voiced concerns over the process afforded to Sinner, compared to other players, including Simona Halep and Nicolas Jarry, despite their very similar circumstances. Speaking in Doha, Djokovic, former president of the president of the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) explained:

“Most of [the players] are not satisfied with how the whole process has gone, and they don't think it's fair. Many of them believe there was favouritism.”

Novak Djokovic

In what is a complicated web of anti-doping bodies, regulations and public announcements, Patrick Mouratoglou does a great job of explaining why the system has to change in the pursuit of equity and fairness. He also argues that the way Sinner’s case was dealt with is actually the right way for all future cases to be handled. Listen here.

SUPRISE BANS

A quick look on the International Tennis Integrity Agency website reveals 32 players currently sanctioned under anti-doping rules. This adds to the 97 players who have already faced violations in the past. Sinner and Swiatek’s names on the ITIA hit list last year may have been a surprise, but so might these individuals:

ANDRE AGASSI: In 1997, Andre returned a positive drug test for methamphetamine (crystal meth). He was given a three month suspension, but never serving a single day of it after convincing the ATP his drink had been spiked. In his autobiography, Open, he revealed that this had in fact, been been a lie.

RICHARD GASQUET: in 2009, then 23 years old, Richard successfully appealed a ban imposed by the ITF and World Anti-Doping Agency for testing positive for cocaine, when he convinced the Court of Arbitration of Sport that the drug entered his system after he kissed a woman who’d taken it at a nightclub.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Received a two year ban, reduced to 15 months on appeal, after taking meldonium during the Australian Open in an attempt, the ITF concluded, to improve recovery and energy.

SARA ERRANI: The Italian tennis player was banned for 10 months after medication her mother was taking for breast cancer made its way into Sara’s food. The drug contained letrozole, which increases lean body mass.

BEATRIZ HADDAD MAIA: The Brazilian took supplements which she successfully argued had been contaminated with metabolites. Her ban was reduced from 10 to four months.

FERNANDO VERDASCO: The Spaniard tested positive for methylphenidate and accepted a two month ban after he had forgotten to renew his Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) for medication used to treat ADHD.

NICOLAS JARRY: Suspended for 11 months, but eventually the governing body accepted his explanation that he had taken multi-vitamins on the recommendation of his doctor without knowing they contained the banned substances.

MIKAEL YMER: Despite not ever officially testing positive, Mikael missed three out-of-competition tests within a 12-month period. He briefly announced his retirement, aged just 24, after failing to overturn a suspension imposed by the International Tennis Federation. But after an 18-month suspension he decided to resume his career.