Tennis village shocked by Sinner's 'penalty agreement'

"A deal? I don't know anything about doping in sport and negotiating a sentence. Ridiculous," famous TV presenter Piers Morgan wrote on his personal page with 8.8 million followers when hearing about the three-month ban that world number one tennis player Jannik Sinner reached after meeting with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA).

The settlement allows Sinner to avoid pushing the issue further, with recent rumours suggesting he could be banned for a year if WADA does not withdraw its case from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which is expected to make a final decision in April. WADA had previously said Sinner deserved a one- to two-year ban, and they appealed the ITIA verdict, which was a very light one-week suspension, and declared the Italian innocent. ITIA only announced the incident five months after it had occurred.

In a February 15 announcement about Sinner's ban, WADA stated: "The player did not intentionally cheat, nor did he gain any physical benefits from the banned substance clostebol." The organization said it had reached a settlement with Sinner's representatives and ITIA regarding the three-month ban.

The fact that a global doping control agency abandoned its "black and white" principles to implement a settlement agreement is seen as a shock to sport, not just tennis. Three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka wrote on X: "I no longer believe in the purity of this sport."

Former Russian tennis player Yevgeny Kafelnikov wrote on X: "I really don't understand. If Sinner is 100% sure he is innocent, then why negotiate a sentence?".

Sinner's representative said the 23-year-old "feels responsible" for the mistake made by his massage assistant. However, it's not about how Sinner feels, it's about failing a doping test, like many other long-term bans in tennis.

"When you put it all together, you wonder if the people involved in this are making fun of us," said former Roland Garros champion Marion Bartoli. "For Sinner to choose his own suspension sends a worse message than not suspending him."

British tennis commentator Pavvy G said Sinner's ban made tennis the most corrupt sport in the world. "This is blatant corruption," he said. "When a player can negotiate his doping conviction, you understand how much control and power those responsible have. Tennis is awash in corruption. This is the biggest scandal in sport. It's disgusting that Sinner hasn't missed a Grand Slam."

Sinner was banned by WADA for three months, starting from February 15. According to that schedule, he will be back in time for the Rome Masters at home, the last major event to prepare for Roland Garros on May 27.