Iga Swiatek breaks silence on controversial doping ban, doesn’t expect Jannik Sinner-type WADA appeal | Tennis News

World No. 2 Iga Swiatek recently served a one-month doping ban, which ended this month. She was handed the ban after testing positive for a prohibited substance, during an out-of-competition test in August The ITIA accepted her defence that her result was positive due to contamination of regulated non-prescription medication melatonin, which was manufactured and sold in Poland.

The doping controversy happened after WADA appealed to CAS about Jannik Sinner’s doping independent tribunal verdict, whcih was accepted. The CAS verdict will be passed next year. Swiatek’s provisional suspension also saw her miss three tournaments in the autumn season, and she also lost her no. 1 position to Aryna Sabalenka.

Breaking her silence on ban for the first time, Swiatek was asked about the possibiliy of a WADA appeal. She replied, “Well I don’t think there is any reason, because I didn’t play three tournaments.”

“I was suspended for a long time and I lost (world) number one because of that. I also know how the procedure worked, and I gave every possible evidence and there is not much, honestly, to do more.

“So I’m not expecting an appeal, but I have no influence on what’s going to happen,” she added.

After ITIA’s decision on Swiatek, some players like Simona Halep criticised the system of double standards, in terms of treating players for similar cases differently. Responding to such accusations, Swiatek said, “I can say from the processes that I went through – and how they treated me from the beginning – that it seemed fair for me.”

“I trust ITIA that, any case they do, they’re going to treat every player the same way and fairly,” she added.

According to ITIA’s report, Swiatek submitted a list of 14 medications or supplements she was using. Her ban ended on December 4. The three tournaments she missed were Korea Open, China Open and Wuhan Open. Meanwhile, she also had to forfeit her prize money from the Cincinnati Open.