Jannik Sinner in the midst of bizarre scandal involving FocusCalm headband and the Chinese Communist Party

Once again, Jannik Sinner has found himself in the spotlight for the wrong reasons after reports of him using a new device in training.

The four-time Grand Slam winner had been preparing for the upcoming China Open by using a wearable EEG headband from FocusCalm, which gives the user information and feedback on neural activity for mental training. These have been used to sharpen up players' mentality as they compete in highly pressured events, with Sinner not the only one to have utilised it.

However, it has been found out that the headband possibly feeds information back to companies directly intertwined to the Chinese Communist Party, with it now coming under scrutiny from the surrounding public.

This revelation had been put out by American journalist Pablo Torre on his podcast, which he also stated the six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek had also been using this brand, among other athletes in different sports. After a six month investigation by Hunterbrook and PTFO, they have come to the conclusion that the headset is funded purely by the Chinese Communist Party, as well as the Chinese government.

On the Pablo Torre Finds Out Show, he said: "These aren't just any athletes. We are talking about, at least famously focused, Jannik Sinner, who trains with a FocusCalm. We're talking about former World No. 1 Iga Swiatek, who is using it everyday."

The device can be combined with other technology to registers feedback on the brain, training and moulding it to help relax the user and improve sleep quality. Activities such as breathing exercises, meditation, and sports psychology content help are provided to make the person more calmer and athletes mentally prepared, but in this case, it may have taken a darker turn.

This is not the first time Sinner has come under scrutiny. Earlier this year, he accepted a three-month suspension due to doping, failing a drug test twice in 2024 after the banned substance clostebol was detected. This bagen after his Australian Open title triumph, and ended just before the Masters 1000 event in Rome. Many people believed that he got off the case very easily, with movements in his backstaff causing more discussions.

With the Asian swing commencing, the world number two is looking to get back on track after a damaging defeat in the US Open final to his arch-rival, Carlos Alcaraz. The Spaniard had ended his 26-match unbeaten hardcourt streak in the final of the Cincinnati Open, and repeated the damage at Flushing Meadows to claim his second US Open title and reinstate himself as the world number one, ahead of the Italian.

The 24-year-old is again under pressure to defend more of his ranking points, as he attempts to defend the Shanghai Masters title he won last year, defeating Novak Djokovic comfortably in the final. He will also be attempting to defend his title he won in the ATP Finals last year, defeating Taylor Fritz to win the event for the first time.

Before all of that, Sinner is set to play at the China Open in Beijing. He is looking to regain the title he won in 2023 at the 500-event, previously beating Daniil Medvedev in the final. He returned last year but was thwarted by Alcaraz in three sets.

The likes of Alexander Zverev, Alex de Minaur, and Karen Khachanov will be challening along with Sinner for the title, but it will be extremely hard to look past the Italian if he plays his best stuff. He will not have Alcaraz competing against him, with the six-time Grand Slam winner opting to make his debut at the Japan Open in Tokyo. The event begins on the 25th September.