Iga Swiatek, the world No 2 ladies’s tennis participant, has obtained a one month ban after testing optimistic for the banned substance trimetazidine (TMZ) in August 2024.
In a press release on Thursday, the Worldwide Tennis Integrity Company, which governs the tennis anti-doping programme, dominated that Swiatek’s anti-doping rule violation was not intentional and that she bore no important fault or negligence for the optimistic take a look at on “the bottom finish of the vary” they usually imposed a one month ban.
The ITIA accepted that Swiatek’s optimistic doping take a look at had been attributable to her contaminated remedy, melatonin, which Swiatek had taken for jet lag and sleep points.
Swiatek had examined optimistic for TMZ in an out-of-competition urine pattern taken on 12 August 2024 and he or she obtained a provisional suspension for 3 weeks between 12 September and 4 October. Swiatek withdrew from three tournaments throughout that interval – the Korea Open, China Open and Wuhan Open – citing private causes;
After her three week absence, Swiatek efficiently appealed her provisional suspension and he or she returned for the ultimate two tournaments of the season, the WTA Finals and Billie Jean King Cup.
Over the previous few years, Swiatek has established herself as essentially the most profitable tennis gamers of her technology. The 23 year-old Pole has gained 5 grand slam titles, together with 4 of the final 5 titles at Roland Garros, and he or she has been No 1 for 125 weeks, together with for a lot of the 2024 season.
In a press release, the ITIA CEO Karen Moorhouse stated: “As soon as the supply of the TMZ had been established, it grew to become clear that this was a extremely uncommon occasion of a contaminated product, which in Poland is a regulated medication.
“Nonetheless, the product doesn’t have the identical designation globally, and the truth that a product is a regulated remedy in a single nation can not of itself be adequate to keep away from any stage of fault. Taking into consideration the character of the remedy, and all of the circumstances, it does place that fault on the lowest finish of the size.
“This case is a vital reminder for tennis gamers of the strict legal responsibility nature of the World Anti-Doping Code and the significance of gamers fastidiously contemplating the usage of dietary supplements and drugs. It’s vital that applicable due diligence takes place to minimise the chance of inadvertent ADRVs equivalent to this.
after publication promotion
The Ladies’s Tennis Affiliation, in the meantime, acknowledged the findings of Swiatek’s anti-doping case and provided their help to Swiatek: “The WTA absolutely helps Iga throughout this tough time. Iga has persistently demonstrated a powerful dedication to honest play and upholding the ideas of unpolluted sport, and this unlucky incident highlights the challenges athletes face in navigating the usage of drugs and dietary supplements.
“The WTA stays steadfast in our help for a clear sport and the rigorous processes that defend the integrity of competitors. We additionally emphasize that athletes should take each precaution to confirm the security and compliance of all merchandise they use, as even unintentional publicity to prohibited substances can have important penalties.”
Swiatek’s anti-doping case marks is the second high-profile case in tennis during the last 4 months after Jannik Sinner, the boys’s No 1, obtained a ruling of no fault or negligence and no suspension in August after testing optimistic for the banned substance clostebol in March.
Supply hyperlink
