WADA decides not to appeal in Swiatek doping case
WADA decides not to appeal in Swiatek doping case
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said on Monday it would not lodge an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in the case of Iga Swiatek after the former world number one tested positive for prohibited substance trimetazidine (TMZ).
The five-time Grand Slam champion had accepted a one-month suspension in November after testing positive for TMZ in an out-of-competition sample in August which was caused by contamination of her medication melatonin.
Swiatek had said she had been taking it for jet lag and sleep issues and did not receive a lengthy ban after the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) ruled there was no significant fault or negligence on her part.
“WADA has conducted a full review of the case file related to the ITIA decision, which it received on 29 November,” WADA said in a statement.
“WADA’s scientific experts have confirmed that the specific contaminated melatonin scenario, as presented by the athlete and accepted by the ITIA, is plausible and that there would be no scientific grounds to challenge it at CAS.”
Men’s world number one Jannik Sinner is still under the scanner after testing positive for anabolic agent clostebol. The Italian was also cleared of wrongdoing but WADA lodged an appeal to the CAS, with a hearing starting on April 16.
