'You get tested twice with a banned (steroid) substance … you should be gone for 2 years'
Top-ranked tennis player Jannik Sinner tested positive twice for a banned anabolic steroid in March.
The 23-year-old tested positive for low levels of a metabolite of clostebol, a banned anabolic steroid that can be used for ophthalmological and dermatological use.
Sinner was stripped of prize money and points earned at a tournament in California, but the newly crowned Cincinnati Open winner won't face further suspension.
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Jannik Sinner of Italy shakes hands with Nick Kyrgios of Australia after defeating him in their match during the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium March 29, 2022, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
One notable player in the sport strongly disagrees with the outcome.
Nick Kyrgios says Sinner only surrendering prize money and points is "ridiculous," and Sinner shouldn't see the court for a long time.
"Whether it was accidental or planned. You get tested twice with a banned (steroid) substance… you should be gone for 2 years. Your performance was enhanced. Massage cream…. Yeah nice," Kyrgios posted to X.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced Tuesday that Sinner would not be suspended because an independent tribunal said it was not intentional. He was suspended because of those test results, but he successfully appealed and was allowed to keep competing on tour.
Jannik Sinner of Italy poses with the Rookwood Cup after defeating Frances Tiafoe of the United States during the men's final of the Cincinnati Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center Aug. 19, 2024, in Mason, Ohio. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
According to the ITIA, Sinner said he tested positive because a member of his support team used an over-the-counter spray that contained clostebol to treat a small wound. The ITIA said it accepted Sinner’s explanation and concluded the violation was unintentional.
The Italian won the Cincinnati Open Monday over Frances Tiafoe and enters the U.S. Open as one of the favorites.
Sinner won his first Grand Slam title in January when he won the Australian Open. He reached the semifinals at the French Open in June and the quarterfinals at Wimbledon in July.
Jannik Sinner of Italy celebrates after defeating Novak Djokovic of Serbia in a semifinal at the Australian Open tennis championships at Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, Jan. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
San Diego Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. was suspended by MLB for 80 games after testing positive for the same drug in 2022.
Fox News' Ryan Canfield and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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