Sinner cleared after testing positive for banned substance

World number 1 Jannik Sinner has been cleared of immoderate wrongdoing aft doubly testing affirmative for a banned constituent successful March.

The Italian tested affirmative for debased levels of a metabolite of clostebol - a steroid that tin beryllium utilized to build musculus wide - during Indian Wells.

A further sample taken 8 days later besides tested affirmative for debased levels of nan aforesaid metabolite.

A provisional suspension was automatically applied but, arsenic Sinner challenged it successfully, he was capable to support playing.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) carried retired an investigation which recovered Sinner was inadvertently contaminated pinch nan constituent by his physiotherapist.

The physiotherapist had been applying an over-the-counter spray disposable successful Italy to a trim connected his ain hand.

He had past carried retired treatments connected Sinner, resulting successful inadvertent contamination.

The ITIA accepted nan mentation and that nan usurpation was not intentional.

Sinner was cleared of responsibility aliases negligence by an independent tribunal past week.

He will, however, suffer nan ranking points from Indian Wells, wherever he was beaten successful nan semi-finals by eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz.

“I will now put this challenging and profoundly unfortunate play down me," Sinner said successful a statement.

"I will proceed to do everything I tin to guarantee I proceed to comply pinch nan ITIA's anti-doping programme.

"I person a squad astir maine that are meticulous successful their ain compliance."

Clostebol is often recovered successful products to dainty swelling and irritation. It is connected nan World Anti-Doping Agency's database of prohibited substances.

Sinner was ruled to carnivore nary responsibility aliases negligence for nan affirmative tests.

The ITIA described nan levels recovered successful Sinner's sample arsenic "low". His lawyers said it amounted to "less than a billionth of a gram".

A connection from his lawyers said Sinner's fittingness trainer had "purchased a product, easy disposable complete nan antagonistic successful immoderate Italian pharmacy, which he gave to Jannik's physiotherapist to attraction for a trim connected nan physiotherapist's finger".

The physiotherapist applied nan spray betwixt 5-13 March, pinch Indian Wells taking spot from 6-17 March.

During that time, nan physio provided regular massages and sports therapy to Sinner, resulting successful "unknowing transdermal contamination".

"The physiotherapist treated Jannik without gloves and coupled pinch various tegument lesions connected Jannik’s assemblage caused nan inadvertent contamination," nan lawyer's connection read.

The ITIA consulted pinch technological experts, who said Sinner's mentation was plausible, earlier carrying retired its ain investigation.

Sinner and his squad afloat co-operated pinch nan investigation.

The ITIA accepted his mentation and that nan usurpation was not intentional earlier referring nan lawsuit to an independent tribunal to find "what, if any, responsibility nan subordinate bore and truthful nan due outcome".

The independent tribunal subsequently wished a uncovering of nary responsibility aliases negligence, meaning nan 23-year-old would not beryllium suspended.

However, he will suffer his 400 ranking points and $325,000 prize money from Indian Wells.