By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Tuesday, October 1, 2024
Photo: Miami Open/Hard Rock Stadium
Daniil Medvedev is following Jannik the Sinner in the ranking race, but he wouldn’t want to be in the world No. 1’s shoes after his doping case took another turn.
WADA is appealing Sinner’s steroid case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and is seeking a one- to two-year ban for the world No.1.
More: WADA appeals sinner’s doping case, seeks ban for world number 1
“It is WADA’s view that the finding of ‘no fault or negligence’ was not correct under the applicable rules,” WADA said in a statement on Saturday. “WADA is seeking a period of ineligibility of one to two years. “WADA is not seeking disqualification of any result other than that already established by the court of first instance.”
Asked for his view on the matter in Beijing, Medvedev called it “a complicated situation” and said he believes other players are divided in their views on Sinner’s situation.
“In general I would think the view, like everything in life, is that some think it should be banned, whatever, some think no, it shouldn’t be,” Medvedev told media in Beijing. “My view is always about these things, it’s kind of trying to distance yourself where the situation is too difficult for him, of course, to deal with.
“As I’ve always said, nobody wants to be in this situation because, I said in the US Open presser, for me imagine tomorrow you get an email, because I think it’s an email, you fail your doping test. They say about everything. The reason, like cocaine or some drug that I don’t even know the name of. You’re like, Wow, what do I do now, because I have no idea how it happened that’s in my pee, blood, whatever.
“So, yeah, it’s a complicated situation.”
Reigning US Open and Australian Open champion Sinner said he is disappointed by WADA’s appeal. Sinner, who twice tested positive for metabolites of the banned steroid clostebol, was allowed to continue playing after he twice successfully appealed, eventually receiving a “not guilty” verdict by an independent tribunal.
“Obviously, I’m very disappointed and also surprised,” Sinner told media in Beijing. “We had three sessions. “All three sessions turned out to be very positive for me. Maybe they just want to make sure everything is in the right position.”
WADA appeals the case of tennis player Jannik Sinner. Read more here: https://t.co/vExHGdmkZG
— WADA (@wada_ama) September 28, 2024
2021 US Open champion Medvedev, who lost to Sinner in the AO 2024 final, said he is “sympathetic” to the two-time Grand Slam champion but does not believe the case hurts tennis.
“I mean he does what he’s supposed to do. WADA probably does what they’re supposed to do,” Medvedev said. “Let’s see how it will end, we thought maybe it was over, but no.
“Yeah, I’m the same as Carlos (Alcaraz). I’m sympathetic to Jannik. I don’t think there’s a bad, really bad look in tennis because I think yes, if it’s 10 top-10 players all of a sudden they’d be in the same substance or something else, I think it’s just an individual situation that we’ll see how it turns out.
