World No. 1 Jannik Sinner has reached a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), agreeing to a three-month ban from tennis, effective immediately. The suspension will run from February 9 until May 4, following two positive drug tests for the banned substance clostebol in March 2024.
An independent tribunal initially accepted Sinner’s explanation for how the substance entered his system, but WADA chose to appeal the decision, with a hearing scheduled for April at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). However, it has now been confirmed that Sinner has agreed to a deal with WADA, resulting in a three-month suspension.
As a result, the Australian Open champion will not be able to compete until early May, meaning he will miss both the Masters 1000 events in Indian Wells and Miami, as well as much of the clay court season, including Monte-Carlo, Barcelona, and Madrid. Sinner will be eligible to return to play in Rome before the French Open begins on May 25.
WADA’s statement clarified that they accepted Sinner did not intentionally cheat and that his exposure to clostebol did not enhance his performance. The contamination was due to negligence from his entourage, though the athlete remains responsible for their actions under the Code. WADA confirmed that, under the circumstances, a three-month suspension was deemed an appropriate outcome. The International Tennis Federation (ITF) and the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), which were co-respondents in the appeal, both accepted the resolution.
Sinner will lose ranking points from both Indian Wells, where he reached the semi-finals last year, and Miami, where he won the title. Given his semi-final finish in Monte-Carlo, he is at risk of losing his No. 1 world ranking to either Alexander Zverev or Carlos Alcaraz in the coming months.
In response to the ban, Sinner issued a statement confirming his acceptance of the three-month suspension: “I have accepted WADA’s offer to resolve these proceedings on the basis of a three-month sanction. I have always accepted that I am responsible for my team and realize WADA’s strict rules are an important protection for the sport I love.”
Sinner’s lawyer also emphasized that there was no intent or knowledge of the doping violation, and that no competitive advantage was gained by the player. “Regrettably, errors made by members of his team led to this situation,” the lawyer stated.