Inquiries concerning the not-guilty verdict - Expert on doping expresses strong disapproval towards Sinner's not-guilty verdict.
Controversial Decision by Court on Sinner's Drug Test
Doping expert Fritz Sörgel voiced his disapproval towards the court's decision to acquit tennis player Jannik Sinner after two positive tests for the prohibited anabolic steroid Clostebol. "If an athlete tests positive for Clostebol, it's an automatic suspension. The sequence after a disputed positive test involves the National Anti-Doping Agency, Wada, and Cas. So, why is Sinner being acquitted by the court?" Sörgel questioned during an interview with "Sport1" portal.
The situation appears "fishy" to Sörgel: "This reeks of foul play." Wada and Cas should step up if they don't intervene in such cases or issue clear judgments, or else there would be a recurrence of such acquittals, similar to those that have happened in recent years. "Clostebol leads to an obligatory suspension between 2 to 4 years. There's no loophole," Sörgel insisted.
Background
Sinner ranked first in the world tested positive for Clostebol twice in March, as reported by the International Tennis Integrity Agency on Tuesday. Sinner is yet to be suspended because an independent tribunal from the Sports Resolutions arbitration agency cleared him, stating that contact with the anabolic steroid through a physiotherapist was responsible for the positive test results. Sörgel criticized the London-based agency that made this decision, labeling it as "unreliable in sports."
Expert: Dubious Excuse Method on the Rise
Sinner explained that a Clostebol-containing spray, which is available over-the-counter in Italy and is sometimes used by physiotherapists to treat wounds, was the cause of the contamination. Sinner also had several cuts on his body which contributed to the contamination.
"Even if the physiotherapist massages him daily, it's highly unlikely that Clostebol penetrates the skin in quantities sufficient enough to be detected in a doping test," Sörgel suggested. "This excuse method of the substance entering the body through the skin is on an increasing trend. It's just another instance of it." The expert said that certain concentrations of Clostebol-containing substances "already have a performance-enhancing impact."
The controversy surrounding Jannik Sinner's acquittal despite two positive tests for Clostebol in a tennis match is not sitting well with doping expert Fritz Sörgel. He believes that if an athlete tests positive for Clostebol, it should result in a mandatory suspension of 2 to 4 years, as stated by Wada and Cas regulations.
