Jannik Sinner’s doping case is far from over, as WADA chose to challenge the ITIA’s ruling, requesting a two-year ban. In light of the recent development, the outspoken Australian player Nick Kyrgios has had his say on the matter again.
Kyrgios, who has been vocal on this issue from the beginning, reacted strongly to a post made by Eurosport about it. He hoped WADA would make an impartial decision and not get influenced by Sinner’s ranking or money.
“God I hope the people running this thing don’t care that he is number 1 and has money,” commented Kyrgios.
To the surprise of no one, Nick Kyrgios has decided to chime into the comments section of this Eurosport Instagram Post. pic.twitter.com/5kD0i8yvwd
— TennisONE App (@TennisONEApp) September 28, 2024
The Australian was one of the first people to oppose the ITIA’s ruling on this matter. He was not pleased with the Italian avoiding a ban, pointing to the fact that other players had different outcomes after testing positive for substance abuse.
“You get tested twice with a banned (steroid) substance… you should be gone for 2 years. Your performance was enhanced. Massage cream…. Yeah nice,” wrote Kyrgios in his tweet.
Later, Kyrgios, while commenting on one of Sinner’s US Open matches, said that he wouldn’t be as friendly towards the Italian in the locker room as he once was.
What will be the consequences of a two-year ban?
The World Anti-Doping Agency filed an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, seeking a two-year ban for Sinner. It comes after the International Tennis Integrity Agency, in August, had declared that the Italian was innocent of any drug abuse after he had tested positive for Clostebol in March this year.
If WADA gets its way, the Italian could suffer significant financial and ranking losses. Even if he is number 1 currently, there’s no guarantee that after two years, he will be able to reach there again. The 23-year-old’s performance may not be at the same level in a couple of years.
Outside the tennis court, Sinner could face huge monetary losses. Besides, the prize money he will miss out on in this period, the Italian might also lose his major endorsement deals. It is unclear if his sponsors like Gucci and Nike will stick behind him in the event of a ban.
