Swiatek, the world’s number 2 tennis player, was sentenced to a one-month doping ban

PARIS – World number two Iga Swiatek has accepted a one-month suspension after testing positive for a banned substance, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced on Thursday.

Swiatek, 23, tested positive for the heart drug trimetazidine (TMZ) in an out-of-competition sample in August 2024, when the Polish player was ranked number one in the world.

However, ITIA acknowledged that this was due to “contamination of a regulated over-the-counter drug (melatonin), produced and sold in Poland, which the player used for jet lag and sleep problems.”

“The violation was therefore not intentional… the player’s level of fault was deemed to be at the low end of the ‘No Significant Fault or Negligence’ range,” ITIA said. he said.

Swiatek, the last French Open champion who has five Grand Slam singles titles, four at Roland Garros and the 2022 US Open, accepted the punishment.

“I was finally given permission… so I want to instantly share with you what has become the worst experience of my life,” an emotional Swiatek wrote in a post on social media. he said.

“Over the last two and a half months, I have been subjected to stringent ITIA investigations which confirmed my innocence.

“The only positive doping test of my career, showing incredibly low levels of a banned substance I had never heard of before, brought into question everything I had worked so hard for my whole life.

“Both I and my team have had to deal with tremendous stress and anxiety. Now everything has been carefully explained and I can return to what I love most with a clean slate.”

Swiatek was provisionally suspended from September 22 to October 4, missing three tournaments and remaining eight days counted towards the sanction.

She will also lose her prize money from the Cincinnati Open tournament, which was held immediately after the test, where she lost to Aryna Sabalenka in the final.

“I know I will be stronger than ever,” Swiatek continued. “I’m relieved it’s all over now.

“Even though I know I did nothing wrong, I want to be open with you. Out of respect for my fans and the public, I am sharing all the details of this longest and toughest tournament of my career. My greatest hope is that you will stay with me.”

WADA’s ‘right of appeal’

In a situation similar to that of men’s world number one Jannik Sinner, Swiatek still faces the threat of an appeal from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

“WADA will review this decision carefully and reserves the right to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport as deemed appropriate,” a spokesman told AFP.

The Italian Sinner is still awaiting the outcome of WADA’s appeal against his initial exoneration after two tested positive for traces of the steroid clostebol in March.

On Thursday, the ITIA said Swiatek’s positive test was not initially made public “in accordance with the regulations” because Swiatek objected to his provisional suspension within the allotted time and obtained his suspension.

“Once the source of TMZ was identified, it became clear that this was a highly unusual example of a contaminated product, which is a regulated medicine in Poland,” ITIA CEO Karen Moorhouse said.

“This case is an important reminder to tennis players of the strict liability nature of the World Anti-Doping Code and the importance of players carefully considering their use of supplements and medications.”

The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) said it “fully supports Iga during this difficult time”.

“Iga has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to upholding the principles of fair play and clean sport, and this unfortunate incident highlights the challenges faced by athletes in the use of medications and supplements,” the WTA said in a statement. he said.

“The WTA continues our support for clean sport and rigorous processes that protect the integrity of competition.

“We also emphasize that athletes should take every precaution to verify the safety and suitability of all products they use, as even unintentional exposure to prohibited substances can lead to significant consequences.”

AFP