Serena Williams says she would be banned for 20 years if she failed drug tests like Jannik Sinner

Tennis legend Serena Williams has lashed out at the anti-doping authorities for their reprieve of World No 1 Jannik Sinner after he failed a drug test and was handed just a three-month ban in February. Sinner came to an agreement with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), which had challenged an independent tribunal’s decision to give him a clean chit despite two positive tests for the anabolic agent clostebol.
“I love the guy, love this game… He’s great for the sport. I’ve been put down so much, I don’t want to bring anyone down. Men’s tennis needs him. (But) if I did that, I would have gotten 20 years. Let’s be honest. I would have gotten Grand Slams taken away from me,” Serena said in an interview with Time Magazine.
Serena ended her career in 2022 after winning a record-breaking 23 Grand Slam titles.
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Sinner had argued that the trace amounts of clostebol that were detected in his samples were due to a steroid cream that Sinner’s physio had applied to treat a cut on his own finger. Sinner claimed that the steroid had “transferred” when he was getting a massage from Sinner’s physio.
What has also irked many observers of the sport is the timing of the ban: the three-time Grand Slam winner’s ban started after he won the Australian Open. This means Sinner’s ban will end on May 4 and he returns just in time to compete at the year’s second Grand Slam, the French Open.
Besides Sinner, there were also raised eyebrows at the Iga Swiatek case. The women’s world number two had tested positive for the banned substance trimetazidine, but will serve just a one-month suspension in November.
Serena is not the only one to lash out at the way rules have been applied in the Sinner case.Story continues below this ad
Tim Henman had told Sky Sports : “It just seems a little bit too convenient. To miss three months of the Tour and therefore to be eligible to play at Roland Garros, the timing couldn’t have been any better for Sinner, but I still think it leaves a pretty sour taste for the sport.”
(With inputs from Reuters)
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