Tennis: Iga Swiatek gets one-month suspension for failing dope test caused by contaminated regulated medication

Lausanne (Switzerland) (The Uttam Hindu): The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) on Thursday confirmed that World No.1 woman player Iga Swiatek of Poland has accepted a one-month suspension under the Tennis Anti-Doping programme for testing positive for a prohibited substance. Swiatek has tested positive for the prohibited substance trimetazidine (TMZ) and was provisionally suspended from September 12, 2024. She successfully appealed against the verdict and got the period reduced, thus missing three tournaments.

The ITIA has accepted that the prohibited substance was because of a contaminated regulated medication, which results in a "No Significant Fault or Negligence finding", thus handing a one-month suspension.

"The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) today confirms that Iga Swiatek, a 23-year-old tennis player from Poland, has accepted a one-month suspension under the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme, after testing positive for the prohibited substance trimetazidine (TMZ) in an out-of-competition sample in August 2024," the ITIA informed in a statement on Thursday.

An investigation by ITIA has determined that the source for the presence of the banned substance was a "contaminated regulated medication".

The ITIA probe said the test "results in no significant fault or negligence finding and thus handed a one-month suspension", the statement said.

The WTA too accepted the decision and issued a statement saying it supports the player.

"The WTA acknowledges the decision by the International Tennis Integrity Association (ITIA) – which administers the Tennis Anti-Doping Program (TADP) – in issuing a one-month suspension to Iga Swiatek, following the identification of a contaminated regulated medication (melatonin) as the source for her positive test for the prohibited substance Trimetazidine," the WTA said in its statement.

"The WTA fully supports Iga during this difficult time. Iga has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to fair play and upholding the principles of clean sport, and this unfortunate incident highlights the challenges athletes face in navigating the use of medications and supplements," the statement said.

This is the second doping incident in tennis involving a high-profile player after men's World No.1 Jannik Sinner had earlier returned a positive test. In that case, the ITIA accepted his contention that the prohibited substance got into his body because the masseur used it.

A lot of people related to the sport have expressed their disappointment in Sinner escaping punishment despite failing a dope test.

Now Iga Swiatek getting a lighter punishment will definitely raise questions over the sport's anti-doping programme and its implementation.