Jannik Sinner, World No 1, won his first Wimbledon title on Sunday. The 23-year-old beat Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz.
However, Sinner's recent journey has been quite dramatic. The Italian escaped a potential WADA ban back in 2024. He tested positive for clostebol, a performance-enhancing anabolic steroid, twice in March 2024 during and after the Indian Wells tournament.
The case, undisclosed for months, drew scrutiny from players like Nick Kyrgios and Tara Moore, who questioned why Sinner continued competing and whether top players receive preferential treatment. Sinner accepted a three-month ban from WADA to resolve the matter, avoiding a prolonged legal battle.
He said: “This issue lingered for nearly a year, with a resolution possibly delayed until year’s end. I acknowledge my team’s responsibility and respect WADA’s strict rules to protect tennis. I’ve accepted their three-month sanction offer to settle this,"
What is Clostebol?
Clostebol is an anabolic steroid found in over-the-counter ointments like Trofodermin, used in Italy for cuts and scrapes. It’s banned due to its performance-enhancing potential, as seen in cases like baseball’s Fernando Tatis Jr, who faced an 80-game MLB suspension in 2022.
Sinner’s explanation
Sinner’s legal team attributed the positive tests to inadvertent contamination from his physiotherapist, Giacomo Naldi, who used Trofodermin spray for a finger cut during Indian Wells.
{{/usCountry}}Sinner’s legal team attributed the positive tests to inadvertent contamination from his physiotherapist, Giacomo Naldi, who used Trofodermin spray for a finger cut during Indian Wells.
{{/usCountry}}Naldi, treating Sinner’s psoriasiform dermatitis (causing skin lesions), performed daily massages without gloves, likely transferring clostebol.
Timeline of Events
February 12, 2024: Sinner’s fitness coach, Umberto Ferrara, purchases Trofodermin in Bologna.
March 3: Naldi cuts his finger on a scalpel, later using Trofodermin from March 5–13.
March 5–13: Naldi massages Sinner daily, handling his skin lesions and ankle injury, without washing hands after applying the spray.
March 10: Sinner’s urine samples at Indian Wells test positive for clostebol.
March 18: An out-of-competition sample tests positive.
April 4–17: Sinner is notified of the violations, successfully appeals provisional suspensions.
May 30: ITIA charges Sinner with doping violations.
June 19: Sinner’s team submits explanations.
August 20: An independent tribunal clears Sinner, finding no fault.
Why was Sinner allowed to compete?
Sinner faced provisional suspensions but appealed immediately, with bans lifted within days. The ITIA’s investigation, including 10 interviews and three expert opinions, supported his contamination claim.
Jannik Sinner forfeited $325,000 in Indian Wells prize money and 400 ranking points due to the in-tournament positive test, but faced no ban initially. WADA appealed the ITIA’s ruling to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, arguing Sinner was responsible for his team, leading to his acceptance of the three-month ban.