Swiatek escapes ban as WADA declines appeal in doping case

Poland’s Iga Swiatek returns the ball to Britain’s Emma Radacanu (not in picture) during the Women’s Tennis Grand Prix WTA tournament quarter final match in Stuttgart, south-western Germany, on April 19, 2024. (Photograph: THOMAS KIENZLE / AFP)
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) announced on Monday that it will not appeal the case of Iga Świątek, who accepted a one-month ban last year after testing positive for a banned substance.

WADA stated that following a “thorough review,” it found the athlete’s explanation of a “contaminated melatonin scenario” to be plausible, as initially accepted by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA).

Świątek, a five-time Grand Slam champion, withdrew from the WTA’s Asian tour in September, citing “personal matters.” It was later revealed that the former world number one had been absent due to the one-month ban for testing positive for trimetazidine, a banned heart drug.

The Polish star has consistently denied intentional doping, attributing the positive test to contaminated non-prescription medication. The ITIA agreed that the violation was unintentional, leading to Świątek’s acceptance of the sanction.

Świątek returned to competition with ease, advancing to the quarterfinals at the Australian Open on Monday. She had previously described the doping ban as one of the “worst times” of her life, causing significant personal turmoil.

Meanwhile, WADA has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in the case of Jannik Sinner, seeking a ban of up to two years after he twice tested positive for a banned steroid in March. Sinner also denies intentional doping.

AFP