Martina Navratilova, the former world No. 1 and 18-time Grand Slam champion, has voiced her strong disapproval of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) after its decision to challenge the verdict that cleared Jannik Sinner of doping allegations.
Navratilova, a nine-time Wimbledon champion, didn’t hold back her criticism, stating, “This is nuts. WADA is a mess. The Chinese swimmers walk, and now this? What a bad system we have.” Her remarks came in response to WADA’s move to potentially suspend Sinner for a period ranging from one to two years.
On September 29, WADA issued a statement explaining their position, arguing that they believe “the finding of ‘no fault or negligence’ was not correct under the applicable rules.” However, the agency clarified that they are not seeking to disqualify any of Sinner’s past results beyond what the initial tribunal has already imposed.
The doping controversy began when Sinner tested positive for low levels of clostebol, an anabolic steroid, on March 10 and 18, coinciding with the Indian Wells Masters, where he was defeated in the quarterfinals by Carlos Alcaraz. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) conducted an investigation, and an independent tribunal ultimately exonerated Sinner of any wrongdoing, as announced last month.
The tribunal accepted Sinner’s explanation that the substance entered his body through a massage given by his physiotherapist. Despite this exoneration, WADA’s decision to pursue the appeal has sparked outrage. Sinner, who later claimed victory at the US Open, expressed his “disappointment” with WADA’s action, a sentiment echoed by Navratilova and many others within the tennis community.
