Novak Djokovic is among the tennis players criticizing the sport’s handling of doping cases, accusing the authorities of showing “favouritism” toward top players. He spoke at length about the settlement between world No. 1 Jannik Sinner and WADA, which followed an appeal over the independent tribunal’s decision to clear the Italian of any wrongdoing after two positive tests for clostebol last year.
The Serb, who is currently ranked No. 7, specifically pointed to Sinner’s case, where the Italian accepted a three-month suspension for negligence instead of intentional cheating after testing positive for clostebol. He also mentioned Iga Swiatek, the world No. 2, who was given a one-month ban for a positive trimetazidine test.
Djokovic voiced his concerns ahead of the ATP tournament in Doha, stating that the inconsistent handling of these cases creates a poor image for the sport. He shared that many players feel frustrated with the lack of fairness and the perceived favoritism toward top athletes who have access to high-powered legal teams. He emphasized that the inconsistency in the process leads to frustration, with some cases being transparent while others remain opaque.
While Djokovic did not question the innocence of Sinner or Swiatek, he pointed out the stark contrast between their favorable outcomes and the long suspensions faced by less well-known players, such as British player Tara Moore, whose two-year doping ban was only overturned after significant legal battles, and Simona Halep, who received a lengthy suspension for a positive roxadustat test.
Djokovic urged for a reform of the system, suggesting that the current anti-doping structure in tennis is flawed and lacks trust among players. He called for more transparency in handling doping cases, either by making all cases public from the start or keeping them private until resolved. He expressed hope that tennis governing bodies would come together to improve the process.