Doping in Tennis: Explained

Jannik Sinner’s Case

Jannik Sinner is making history not just with his victories, but by igniting one of the most talked-about controversies in the doping chronicles of tennis.

Was Sinner’s return timing strategically calculated by his team to minimize its impact on his career? Does Sinner’s case reflect a fair and consistent application of anti-doping rules in professional tennis or rather emphasizes the need for greater advocacy and fairness across cases? These questions highlight the role of tennis organisations in ensuring justice in doping penalties for the sake of athletic integrity, public trust, and the sport’s credibility.

What is Doping?

According to the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM), “doping” refers to the use of banned substances, also known as performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs), in competitive sports. Major types are anabolic steroids, stimulants, hormone modulators, and blood-doping techniques.

Anabolic steroids are artificial versions of testosterone — the primary sex hormone in men. That being said, in professional sports, some athletes use them to enhance performance and build muscle. Jannik Sinner admits “partial responsibility,” claiming that “clostebol entered his system when his physiotherapist used a spray containing it to treat a cut before providing a massage and sports therapy.”

Stimulants are drugs that directly affect the nervous system by speeding up parts of the brain and body, altering the heart rate, blood pressure, metabolism, and body temperature. The Anti-Doping Base proposes that cannabis emerges as the most commonly used, “affecting a staggering 22% of players among more than 100 registered doping sanctions.” The third type, hormone and metabolic modulators alter the hormonal balance, influence metabolism, modify muscle growth and fat metabolism, and regulate glucose or insulin function. Lastly, blood doping boosts the number of red blood cells (and hemoglobin mass) in the bloodstream.

Which Organisation/s regulates anti-doping Policies Globally and in Professional Tennis?

The International Tennis Federation (ITF), founded in 1913, is responsible for regulating anti-doping policies in professional tennis by testing players, enforcing sanctions, ensuring the integrity of the sport, and advocating for fairness and athletic health. Further, in 1984, The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) — an independent judicial organisation that handles disputes in international sports.

CAS is linked to ITF and World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) functioning as the final appeal while WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) is the global organisation that sets and enforces anti-doping rules in sports, formed in 1999, following a major doping scandal in cycling during the 1998 Tour de France.

Together the three organisations — ITF, CAS, and WADA, ensure fairness, transparency, and integrity in professional sports especially when it comes to doping regulations.

What are the Consequences for Tennis Players Caught Doping?

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) maintains a comprehensive list of sanctions imposed on tennis players for doping violations. Depending on the severity of the violation, athletes could be suspended for months or years and even receive a life ban.

In March 2024, 23-year-old Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner tested positive for doping twice, leading to a provisional suspension in April, which was later overturned. By June, his team submitted a defense, and in August, an independent tribunal cleared him of fault, avoiding a ban. However, in September, WADA appealed, seeking a 1–2 year ban. Despite the uncertainty, Sinner won his second Grand Slam while awaiting CAS’s final verdict. On February 15, 2025, BBC News sports correspondent Laura Scott reported that Sinner had accepted an immediate three-month ban from tennis — from February 9 to May 4, after reaching a settlement with WADA over his two positive drug tests last year.

Mind you, he won the 2025 Australian Open, with his three-month ban ending just before the second Grand Slam, Roland Garros, on May 25. However, Sportskeeda reports he will miss four ATP 1000, four ATP 500, and four ATP 250 events.“Sinner is set to lose a lot of ranking points, as he won the Miami Open and reached the semifinals in Indian Wells and Monte-Carlo last year,” explains Geoff Pounds.

Aside from official sanctions, players found doping often deal with severe psychological and emotional anguish. Public scrutiny, media outrage, and a lack of trust from fans and peers can all contribute to anxiety, despair, and motivational issues.

“If you are a Jannik fan, you would have seen a big change in his body language, physicality on the court, his excitement to be on the court — he’s struggled and I think it’s worn him down physically and mentally.” Sinner’s coach further explains that the investigation into his failed anti-doping tests led to his player missing the Olympic Games — “He got tonsillitis, which is the reason why he missed the Olympic Games.”

Are Tennis Organisations Catching Doping Cheats Rightfully or are They Ruining Careers and Athletes’s Mental State Unreasonably?

The controversy surrounding Jannik Sinner’s doping case sparked mixed reactions within the tennis community. The world number seven, Novak Djokovic, feels that the situation is detrimental to the sport’s image. Similarly, Tara Moore hints at a disparity in how top players are treated compared to others facing similar issues.

The outcome of Jannik Sinner’s case could change the way doping instances are handled in professional tennis. If tennis organisations ensure fairness and transparency in applying anti-doping policies, trust in their integrity might be restored. However, whether they foster further bias amidst unequal treatment, tennis’ reputation and ability to handle and treat such cases objectively will still be questioned and a cloud of uncertainty over the sport will prevail over the sport.