Jannik Sinner set to resume training from April 13 under ITIA rule

Italy’s Jannik Sinner will be allowed to resume training from April 13. The 23-year-old, who is regarded as one of the best players currently playing in men’s tennis in the singles category, is currently suspended for three months after reaching an agreement with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

As per the report, Sinner will now be training with his trainers from April 13. The reigning world number one will be allowed to do that under the rules of ITIA. “According to the ITIA - a player can train with his support staff, as long as he does not do so in a place connected to a national association, the ATP, the ITF, the WTA, the Grand Slams or an event covered by our regulations," was the statement of one member of the coaching staff as quoted by Tennis Italiano.

Sinner tested positive for the banned substance clostebol in two doping tests in March last year but miraculously managed to escape any ban. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) declared him innocent following a detailed hearing where his 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. However, the issue finally came to a conclusion on Saturday as WADA announced that they had reached an agreement with Sinner, which will result in the player remaining out of action for three months.

“The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) confirms that it has entered into a case resolution agreement in the case of Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner, with the player accepting a three-month period of ineligibility for an anti-doping rule violation that led to him testing positive for clostebol, a prohibited substance, in March 2024,” the statement said.