Jannik Sinner accepts a 3-month suspension after reaching agreement with WADA for failed doping tests

World number one Italy’s Jannik Sinner has accepted an immediate three-month ban from tennis after being tested positive in a doping case. The 23-year-old, who is widely regarded as the best player currently playing in men’s tennis in the singles category, has been in the news for the wrong reasons after being tested positive for banned substances on two occasions in March last year.

Interestingly, that was not enough for Sinner to be banned from professional tennis. In a detailed verdict last year, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced that they found the player innocent in the case. The player’s counsel claimed that the substance was available in the player’s sample because one member of the coaching staff had received a cream for the treatment of an injury.

Things turned ugly for the world number one in October last year when it was announced that the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) appealed against the ITIA’s verdict in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and demanded a two-year ban for the three-time Grand Slam winner. Most recently, WADA’s spokesperson, James Fitzgerald, spoke about the matter in detail, claiming that the ITIA’s decision was incorrect. "We believe that the conclusion of no fault or negligence is incorrect under the current rules, and we are requesting a suspension period of between one and two years. WADA is not seeking to annul any results other than those already imposed in the first instance.”

The scandal has now taken an interesting turn as Sinner has accepted an immediate three-month ban. The BBC confirmed the development, claiming that the reigning Australian Open winner has reached an agreement with WADA that would see him out of action from February 09 to May 04, meaning he will be eligible to play in all major events this year. The only big competitions Sinner will miss include the Indian Wells, Miami Open, the Monte Carlo Masters, and the Madrid Open.