World number one Jannik Sinner banned from tennis but can play in every Grand Slam
World number one Jannik Sinner has been banned from tennis for three months over two failed drugs tests last year.
Sinner, who won the Australian Open in January, has reached a settlement with WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) which will see him suspended from February 9 until May 4.
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The 23-year-old will therefore be eligible to compete in the next Grand Slam when the French Open begins on May 19.
WADA said it accepted Sinner's explanation that the banned substance clostebol was inadvertently delivered to the tennis star by his physiotherapist.
The governing body also said the three-time Grand Slam winner 'did not intend to cheat' and the drug 'did not provide any performance-enhancing benefit'.
In a statement, WADA added: "However, under the code and by virtue of Cas precedent, an athlete bears responsibility for the entourage's negligence. Based on the unique set of facts of this case, a three-month suspension is deemed to be an appropriate outcome."
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In a statement released by his lawyers, Sinner said: "This case had been hanging over me for nearly a year and the process still had a long time to run with a decision maybe only at the end of the year.
"I have always accepted that I am responsible for my team and realise Wada's strict rules are an important protection for the sport I love. On that basis I have accepted Wada's offer to resolve these proceedings on the basis of a three-month sanction."
Sinner first tested positive in March 2024 on two separate occasions at Indian Wells but avoided punishment after successfully challenging the ruling.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency said in August that a panel found Sinner bore 'no fault or negligence' for testing positive for low levels of a metabolite of clostebol - a steroid that can be used to build muscle mass.
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However, Wada appealed the decision with the Court of Arbitration for Sport last September stating at the time the finding of "no fault or negligence" was not correct.
WADA cited that under the applicable rules, it believed a ban of between one and two years should have been given and secured a hearing for April this year.
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Instead now, Sinner has accepted a ban and avoided a hearing that could have seen him banned for significantly longer than the three months given to him now.
The Italian's next eligible tournament is the Italian Open which begins on 7 May.
Sinner will miss prestigious hard court tournaments in Miami and Indian Wells along with the Madrid Open and Monte Carlo Masters.
The 23-year-old is the second high-ranking player to agree a doping ban in recent months.
World No 2 Iga Swiatek accepted a one-month suspension in November, having tested positive for the banned substance trimetazidine (TMZ).
The Pole had been provisionally suspended from 12 September until 4 October, missing three tournaments as a result and forced to forfeit her prize money for the Cincinnati Open.
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However, WADA reiterated that for Sinner it was not seeking the 'disqualification of any results' aside from the Indian Wells ruling that had previously been made.
Sinner was required to forfeit his 400 ranking points from that tournament and prize money of $325,000.
Furthermore, the Italian's reign at world No.1 is at risk as Alexander Zverev, who sits second in the rankings, can overtake Sinner in the next three months.
The German needs 2000 points from his next four tournaments to become the new world No.1.
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Those events are the Rio and Acapulco Open worth 500 points each and Indian Wells and Miami which are 1000 points each.
WADA have said Sinner can begin "official training activity" from April 13, the next tournament will be eligible for is the Italian Open, which begins on May 7.
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