“As outrageous as Sinner's scenario sounds, we know it could happen”: US Anti-Doping Agency Chief defends ITIA verdict

The director of the US Anti-Doping Agency (Usada), Travis Tygart, discussed Jannik Sinner's doping case, stating that he does not believe the World No. 1 is guilty. Sinner avoided suspension after the ITIA determined that there was "no fault or negligence" in his Clostebol contamination.

The American official gave an interview to Daily Maverick, where he defended the ruling in Sinner’s case, saying it aligned with the regulations. “If he (Sinner) is a doper, which I don’t think he is based on the facts that have been put out there, then a ‘no fault’ finding was a perfectly appropriate outcome based on the rules and the facts,” Tygart said.

Claims of preferential treatment dismissed

One of the controversies surrounding Sinner’s case – and later, Iga Swiatek’s – was an alleged preferential treatment by the tribunal appointed by the ITIA. However, Tygart dismissed these claims, using as a comparison the 23 Chinese swimmers who tested positive for TMZ before the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

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“Unlike the Chinese TMZ 23, the rules, and if you’re referring to the Sinner case in particular, the rules were followed,” Tygart commented. “Transparency was upheld. Why was he (Sinner) not provisionally suspended? Well, he was. But he appealed it, and they lifted it. That’s within the rules.

“Compare that to the Chinese cases. They never even provisionally suspended the athletes, and the rules are absolutely clear on that type of positive. You have to be suspended. You can challenge it, and an independent hearing officer can lift the provision, which is what happened in the Sinner case. Then the outcome of the case found no fault.

“Again, contrast that with what happened in China,” he insisted. “While I appreciate the commentary and the discussion (of the Sinner case), the fact that we’re able to have that commentary and discussion is because they (the ITIA) did follow the rules."

“It was open and is in the public domain. Contrast that with what happened in China. It’s night and day, and for the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) to allow what happened in China to happen in the way that it did, is outrageous,” the Director stated. “We all should be upset that the global regulator allowed the rules not to apply as they should apply.”

Jannik Sinner won the US Open just two weeks after the case was public.

Defence highlights accidental contamination

Sinner’s defence argued that the substance entered his body through his physiotherapist, who treated him without gloves after using a Clostebol-based cream to heal cuts on his hands. As a result, a microscopic amount entered to the 2-time Grand Slam champion body through minor wounds on his legs.

“Sinner’s samples showed less than one nanogram of clostebol, which is minute,” Tygart said. “It was like 500 picograms. There is an experiment that the Cologne Laboratory did where they got this medication, this lotion over the counter, and they rubbed it on their hands."

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“They let their hands dry and a little while later, they went and shook hands with someone else. They then took the urine from that someone else. The results showed they had a low-level of 500 picograms of clostebol. So, as outrageous as this (Sinner) scenario sounds, we know it could happen.”

Tygart criticised WADA for appealing the ruling months after Sinner’s innocence had been determined. He also compared this to the treatment of Chinese swimming cases. “What people and athletes are battling to understand is how this can happen after so much time,” Tygart said. “How can the winner of the US Open and other events since the hearing, and who was cleared through the process (which was handled correctly) now face a Wada appeal and a two-year suspension?”

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“My view is that if this was our (Usada) case, we would have done everything within our power to appeal quickly. You can do an appeal within five days,” he added. “It should have been done before he went and won the US Open and other events. There was plenty of time to do that. The facts of the case are very simple because it’s a legal issue.”

“Wada is getting a second bite at the same apple that an independent tribunal under the ITIA devised,” the American added. “The rules maybe need to be better addressed to ensure those types of situations are more easily understood.”

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