Sinner, doping case: defensive strategy

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One-two years of suspension: this is the request of Wada towards Jannik Sinner for the Clostebol case. But what could happen to the world number one if the appeal of the World Anti-Doping Agency to the CAS is confirmed? Not only would the career of the current world number one suffer, but also his image with the many prestigious brands associated with Jannik that could take a step back. Losses for enormous amounts, estimated at 50 million dollars a year between prizes and sponsorships . To avoid the terrible consequences and affirm his innocence once again, Sinner has decided to rely on the law firm Onside Law of London, specialized in sports law, with the lawyer Jamie Singer at the head, after having already successfully represented him in other cases.

How the Tas process works
How does the CAS process work? Three arbitrators will decide Sinner's fate : one appointed by WADA, one by the tennis player's defense, and a third chosen directly by the court. The CAS president is John Coates, known for his involvement in the 2000 Sydney Olympics (he accused himself of buying votes from two IOC members). The latter will be responsible for selecting the judges and overseeing the proceedings. This aspect adds another layer of complexity to the case, given the president's reputation and influence within world sport.


Wada's accusation
The focal point of the accusation concerns Sinner 's alleged negligence in controlling the use of a prohibited ointment, Trofodermin, which was allegedly used by his team's physiotherapist, Giacomo Naldi, to treat a finger wound.
According to Wada, Sinner did not do enough to avoid contact with prohibited substances; on the contrary, he should have checked the labeling of the ointment and taken additional precautions to avoid the risk of contamination. Jannik is also accused of lack of protection; according to the agency, there were not enough measures to prevent accidental contamination.

What will happen?
Two questions remain: what does “no fault or negligence” mean , and why was Sinner allowed to continue playing? In the first case, the phrase is part of the ITIA framework for assessing and prosecuting anti-doping violations and is taken into account when a player has successfully demonstrated that he did not intentionally dope. In the second case, it must be clarified that Sinner received a provisional suspension after each positive test for clostebol. However, athletes have the right to appeal these provisional suspensions, and Jannik immediately demonstrated that his coach had purchased the treatment spray containing clostebol. Such decisions allowed Sinner to continue playing while the authorities conducted a full investigation. But it is precisely the “ no fault or negligence” that Wada wanted to delve into by appealing the court’s decision. A choice that for many tennis players, from Djokovic to Alcaraz, did not seem like a good prospect for tennis. When Sinner defends his Australian Open in Melbourne in January, he will probably still be waiting to find out when, and if, he will be disqualified. What happens now? Further developments are expected, Wada is asking for a one to two year ban, Sinner is working to further prove his innocence.