Shapovalov on Sinner doping story: “It’s not right”

Canadian Denis Shapovalov has made his opinion clear that players are not all treated equally, after failing doping tests

UTS

Olly Paton

August 21, 2024

On Tuesday, Jannik Sinner published a post to his social media accounts that he had failed two separate doping tests, for minimal levels of the steroid clostebol, in March this year. However, after an independent tribunal, the Italian was found to have no fault or negligence, and had sufficiently proved that he had unknowingly been contaminated with the substance following a massage from his physio. This came after his physio used a spray containing the steroid to treat a finger cut, and did not use any gloves during massages from March 5th – 13th, meaning, according to Sinner and his team, it was absorbed through his skin lesions. However, before the tribunal’s decision, Sinner was not provisionally suspended for an extended period of time.

Many players and commentators took to Twitter to have their opinion heard, including the Canadian Denis Shapovalov.

Different rules for different players
— Denis Shapovalov (@denis_shapo) August 20, 2024

Speaking exclusively to Tennis Majors on Wednesday, Shapovalov elaborated on his controversial tweet:

“Honestly, it has nothing to do with Jannik. To me, it’s just about how they handle every situation differently, depending on what player it is. It’s not right that some players have been suspended for years for contamination, and other players are able to play and they’re just trying to sweep it under the rug. There are a couple of other players who have never tested positive and missed a couple of tests, and are given an 18-month ban.”

It’s not right that some players have been suspended for years for contamination and other players are able to play, and they’re just trying to sweep it under the rug.

Shapovalov on the Sinner situation