In 2024, the tennis scene faced a couple of major doping scandals. First up was Jannik Sinner, the top-ranked men's player, whose US Open victory was overshadowed by controversy. It came to light that he had tested positive for an anabolic substance twice back in March. However, an independent tribunal accepted his claim that it was due to unintentional contamination. Then there was Iga Swiatek, who recently received a one-month ban after testing positive for a banned substance in an out-of-competition test in August.

The ITIA accepted her explanation, stating that her positive result stemmed from contamination of a regulated non-prescription melatonin product sold in Poland.

As for Sinner, the WADA has appealed to the CAS, and they’re set to make a new ruling on him next year. Lawyer Angelo Cascella, a former CAS member, suggested that Sinner could face a ban ranging from one to two years.

Talking to the Italian site Sportmediaset, he mentioned, "After the analyses were done and doping traces were found, the athlete could face a penalty of one to two years. Depending on the situation, there could be intent, fault, or negligence involved. If it's deemed intentional, the disqualification could stretch up to four years; if it's more about negligence, like in Sinner's case, it would be one to two years."

He also pointed out that it's ultimately the athlete and their team's responsibility, even if the positive test came from unintentional contamination. Plus, there's a new rule set to kick in by 2027 that might change the outcome for cases like Sinner's. Unfortunately for him, his decision will be made next year.

Starting in 2027, the new rule will kick in, but it won't impact the current case since it's happening before that date. So, the decision will be based on the rules that are already in place. There's a chance of a conviction, but there's also a possibility that the parties might communicate over the next few months and come to a settlement that works for both sides, which could lead to a suspension of the hearing since it won't take place until spring 2025, Cascella mentioned.

The independent tribunal's ruling on Sinner got a mixed bag of reactions from current players. While a lot of them are backing the Italian, others think it's a bit unfair since past athletes have faced hefty bans for similar situations.

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