In the past few hours, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) – through its CEO Karen Moorhouse in an official note – has returned to talk about the situation related to Jannik Sinner and the controversial management of the Clostebol doping-issue, with the aim of clarifying any doubts and quelling any type of criticism.
The Clostebol doping-issue, which involved the ATP number 1 in March, continues to be at the center of controversy, after having generated a sort of fandom between those who support the Italian and those who accuse him of being a doper or of having received preferential treatment from ITIA.
The decision of an independent tribunal to exonerate Sinner from all guilt and negligence was challenged by WADA at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, which will be called upon to rule on the matter in the coming months, probably between January and February.
ITIA, in its statement, rejected any allegations of favoritism:
“The process of handling anti-doping cases is complex and we understand that it can be confusing to understand differences in outcomes or perceived inconsistencies in the process. To be absolutely clear, the process is defined by the World Anti-Doping Code, established by the World Anti-Doping Agency and the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme.
The way we handle cases does not change, regardless of the profile of the player involved. How a case unfolds is determined solely by its circumstances, facts and science. In the Sinner case, we understand that the focus of the appeal is on the interpretation and application of the rules by the independent tribunal in determining what level, if any, of fault is applicable to the player, rather than the ITIA’s investigation of the facts and science.
That said, we recognise that it is our responsibility to work with members of the tennis family to ensure there is trust in the process and we encourage a dialogue with players, their representatives and the media on this.”
