Boris Becker backs Jannik Sinner in doping scare with WADA

Germany’s legendary tennis star Boris Becker has sent a supportive message to world number one Jannik Sinner in his fight against the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). The 23-year-old is already regarded as one of the best players currently playing in men’s tennis in the singles category, along with the likes of Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz and Serbia’s Novak Djokovic.

Sinner has been going through a bit of a roller coaster ride in the recent past. The reigning world number one managed to narrowly escape a ban after testing positive for the banned substance clostebol in two doping tests. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), in a detailed statement, announced that they accepted the player’s counsel’s response where they claimed that the availability of the banned substance in minimal quantity in the player’s sample was because of receiving cream from a member of the coaching staff.

On Saturday, WADA, in a detailed statement, announced that they had lodged an appeal against the verdict in front of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), where they demanded a ‘one or two-year suspension’ for the two-time Grand Slam winner.

“The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) confirms that on Thursday 26 September, it lodged an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in the case of Italian tennis player, Jannik Sinner, who was found by an independent tribunal of the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) to bear no fault or negligence having twice tested positive for clostebol, a prohibited substance, in March 2024,” read the statement. “It is WADA’s view that the finding of “no fault or negligence” was not correct under the applicable rules. WADA is seeking a period of ineligibility of between one and two years.”

Sinner, who is currently participating in the China Open, where he has already booked his place in the quarterfinal, spoke to the media after beating Roman Safiullin on Saturday and expressed his disappointment about the development.

“Well, we cannot control everything, no? Obviously I'm very disappointed and also surprised of this appeal, to be honest, because we had three hearings,” he said.” All three hearings came out very positively for me. You know, I was not expecting it. I knew it a couple of days ago, that they were going to appeal, that today it's going to go official, so. But yeah, it's surprise. We always talk about the same thing. Maybe they just want to make sure that everything is in the right position. Yeah, I'm just surprised that they appealed.”

Becker posted a supportive message to Sinner on social media platform X—previously known as Twitter. Becker wrote ‘Word’ while reposting the Italian tennis star's statement following the development.