Iga Swiatek, it won’t be like Jannik Sinner: no Wada appeal

Iga Swiatek, won’t be like Jannik Sinner: no Wada appeal

The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) has announced that it will not appeal the case of Iga Swiatek, who was suspended for a month after testing positive for trimetazidine at a doping control. The decision of Wada, which instead will appeal regarding the acquittal of Jannik Sinner (the hearing is scheduled for mid-April), is causing discussion on social media.

"The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) confirms that, following a thorough review, it will not appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in the case of Polish tennis player Iga Świątek, who tested positive for trimetazidine (TMZ) ), a banned substance, in August 2024. On Nov. 28, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), the independent body that provides anti-doping programs on behalf of the International Tennis Federation, announced that Ms. Świątek had agreed to a one-month disqualification period after the ITIA;ITIA had determined that the positive test for TMZ è was caused by a contaminated melatonin product, regulated as a drug in Poland and sourced from a reputable pharmacy in that country".

"WADA conducted a comprehensive review of the file on the ITIA decision, received on November 29. WADA scientific experts confirmed that the specific scenario of contaminated melatonin, presented by the athlete and accepted by ITIA, è plausible and that there would be no scientific basis to challenge it at CAS". 

"In addition, WADA sought advice from outside legal counsel, who found that the explanation of the athlete’s contamination was well proven, that the ITIA decision was in accordance with the World Anti-Doping Code, and that there was no reasonable basis to appeal to CAS".