ITIA prioritizes improving trust in anti-doping rules

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has made improving transparency and trust in anti-doping rules a priority after several controversial cases raised questions about the process, executive director Karen Moorhouse said in a statement at the ITIA's annual review, as reported by Reuters.

• Sinner and Swiatek cases raise questions

World number one Jannik Sinner accepted a three-month suspension in February after reaching an agreement with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), which was appealing an earlier decision to exonerate him. Five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek also accepted a one-month suspension in November after testing positive for trimetazidine, a banned substance. The Pole claimed that the test result was due to contamination with sleeping medication.

• Simona Halep and allegations of lack of coherence

The speed with which the Sinner and Swiatek cases were resolved was compared by the international media to the delay in the case of former world number one Simona Halep, who criticized officials for the long and unfair trials. "The case of Jannik Sinner has raised many questions about the anti-doping process in tennis. We are determined to answer them and take action to ensure transparency," said Karen Moorhouse.

• Trust-building actions

ITIA announced a 26% increase in anti-doping tests in 2024 compared to the previous year, totaling 9,151 tests. The strategy for the next three years also includes educating players about the risks of using contaminated supplements. "About 30% of tennis doping violations over the past 15 years can be attributed to contaminated supplements," explained Nicole Sapstead, senior director of anti-doping at the ITIA.

• Controversy among players

Accusations of double standards were reinforced by Novak Djokovic, who said on several TV channels that there is a lack of consistency and transparency in anti-doping cases. Australian Nick Kyrgios, for his part, described the Sinner and Swiatek cases as "disgusting" for the sport. The Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) has filed a complaint against the world tennis governing bodies, accusing ITIA of violating players' rights through random doping tests. The ITIA stresses that most doping cases in tennis are the result of unintentional use of banned substances, but insists that players need to be more careful about the products they consume.