Tennis legend, Novak Djokovic has demanded clear protocols in tennis concerning doping cases after Jannik Sinner escaped a ban for testing positive for a banned substance.
Sinner tested positive for clostebol, a steroid that can be used to build muscle mass in March.
He was cleared of fault or negligence by a tribunal last week, with the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) finding out that Sinner had been contaminated with the substance by physiotherapist Giacomo Naldi.
Naldi had been applying an over-the-counter spray – given to him by fitness trainer Umberto Ferrara – to a cut on his own hand before then carrying out treatments on Sinner.
Sinner was handed an automatic provisional suspension when he tested positive but was able to keep playing after successfully appealing against it.
Some tennis players revealed that Sinner received a special treatment and Djokovic has weighed in on the matter.
He said “I understand the frustration of the players is there because of a lack of consistency.
“As I understood, his case was cleared the moment basically it was announced. But I think five or six months [had] passed since the news [of the positive tests] was brought to him and his team.
He said, “So, yeah, there is a lot of issues in the system. We see a lack of standardised and clear protocols. I can understand the sentiments of a lot of players that are questioning whether they are treated the same.
“Hopefully the governing bodies of our sport will be able to learn from this case and have a better approach for the future. I think collectively there has to be a change.”
Sinner is the top seed at the US Open, which starts on Monday.
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