Iga Swiatek is the second high-profile tennis participant to check constructive for a banned substance this 12 months, becoming a member of the World No. 1 Jannik Sinner.
Whereas Sinner was absolutely cleared, Swiatek, who dropped from World No. 1 to No. 2 final month, accepted a one-month suspension that was handed to her and introduced on Thursday (November 28).
The Worldwide Tennis Integrity Company (ITIA) mentioned it decided that Swiatek’s tainted urine pattern was due to a contaminated medication she consumed so the extent of accountability was low.
“These are usually not instances of intentional doping. These are instances — in Sinner’s case … no fault or negligence. In (Swiatek’s) case, very low finish, no important fault or negligence,” ITIA CEO Karen Moorhouse mentioned. “So I don’t suppose this can be a trigger for concern for tennis followers and the like.”
A fast have a look at the specifics of the 2 instances surrounding Swiatek and Sinner.
Who’s Iga Swiatek?
Swiatek, 23, has received 5 Grand Slam titles and has been the perfect participant in girls’s tennis over the previous two-and-half seasons, significantly on clay courts. She received 4 of the previous 5 French Open titles, together with the final three in a row, plus one US Open, and has been ranked World No. 1 for almost each week since April 2022. The Polish participant additionally received a bronze medal on the Paris Olympics in August.
When did Swiatek fail the drug check?
Swiatek had examined constructive for an out-of-competition check on August 12 – 10 days after her final match on the Olympics and earlier than the North American hardcourt swing in Cincinnati.
She was notified she was being provisionally suspended on September 12, eight days after dropping to Jessica Pegula within the US Open quarterfinals.
What did she check constructive for?
Swiatek’s urine pattern confirmed low quantities of trimetazidine, a banned coronary heart remedy generally known as TMZ.
It was discovered that the TMZ had contaminated a sleep help, melatonin, that Swiatek’s psychologist purchased for her at a pharmacy in Poland, the place it’s offered as a drugs.
In line with the ITIA report, Swiatek listed 14 drugs or dietary supplements she was utilizing, though not melatonin.
What’s trimetazidine, or TMZ?
Trimetazidine is a metabolic agent that may assist stop angina assaults if used as an “add-on therapy,” based on the European Medicines Company.
It could improve blood circulate effectivity and enhance endurance — each essential to high-end athletic efficiency. It’s on the World Anti-Doping Company’s prohibited record within the class of “hormone and metabolic modulators.”
The substance was concerned in previous Olympic athletes’ instances involving Russian determine skater Kamila Valieva and 23 Chinese language swimmers.
When was Swiatek suspended?
Swiatek was provisionally suspended in September, after the US Open, however that was lifted as a result of she rapidly supplied a plausible clarification for the contamination — one which was backed up by checks, the ITIA mentioned.
Throughout this era, she missed three tournaments – China Open (in Beijing), Korea Open and Wuhan Open – though she had cited ‘private causes’ for lacking the tournaments.
Is she ‘banned’ through the offseason?
The ITIA and Swiatek agreed she would serve a one-month suspension. She was credited for the time she had already missed, equal to 22 days. In consequence, there are eight days remaining within the suspension and she is going to serve that now although the season is over.
Swiatek was in a position to play within the WTA Finals and the Billie Jean King Cup. “The worst a part of it was the uncertainty,” she mentioned. “I didn’t know what was going to occur with my profession, how issues would finish or if I might be allowed to play tennis in any respect.”
Apart, what is occurring with Jannik Sinner’s case?
Sinner had examined constructive for a banned anabolic steroid twice in March, however nothing got here to gentle till August, forward of the US Open, which he went on to win for his second main title of 2024.
Like Swiatek, the instances have been stored quiet till they have been resolved as a result of each gamers supplied what ITIA discovered to be believable explanations. He blamed it on a cream his coach used earlier than giving the Italian a therapeutic massage and was cleared fully — though WADA has appealed that ruling — whereas Swiatek was discovered to have been “on the lowest finish of the vary for no important fault or negligence,” and so was given a light-weight punishment.
Requested whether or not there are tips that decide the lengths of bans, ITIA CEO Karen Moorhouse mentioned: “No, there isn’t. This isn’t the place you set these items into machine and it spits you out a quantity on the finish of it. It’s a case of contemplating all the things within the spherical, bear in mind all of the circumstances and info within the case to come back to the appropriate end result.”
