BEIJING: Jannik Sinner said Saturday he was “very disappointed” but confident after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) appealed the decision to clear him in his steroid case, seeking a ban of up to two years.
The Italian world number one twice tested positive for traces of the banned substance clostebol in March but was exonerated and allowed to carry on playing.
The 23-year-old went on to win the US Open earlier this month for his second major crown, weeks after the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) found he “bears no fault or negligence”.
The ITIA accepted his explanation that the drug entered his system when his physiotherapist used a spray containing it to treat a cut, then provided massage and sports therapy to the player.
WADA on Thursday appealed the high-profile case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
“It is WADA´s view that the finding of ´no fault or negligence´ was not correct under the applicable rules,” it said in a statement on Saturday.
WADA made the appeal announcement as Sinner was on court at the China Open, where the defending champion fought back to beat 69th-ranked Russian Roman Safiullin 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 in Beijing.
“WADA is seeking a period of ineligibility of between one and two years,” it added.
Sinner has consistently denied knowingly doping and said after his win: “Obviously I´m very disappointed and also surprised.
“We had three hearings. All three hearings came out very positively for me.”
He added: “Maybe they just want to make sure that everything is in the right position.” Separately, speaking in Italian, Sinner added: “I´m convinced that I will be found innocent.” Clostebol is an anabolic agent prohibited at all times by WADA.