New Delhi: Jessica Pegula has joined a host of top tennis stars who have criticised the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) for their handling of Jannik Sinner’s doping case. Sinner and WADA recently came to a settlement over a doping case involving the Italian with the world no.1 accepting a three-month ban from tennis.
Pegula believes Sinner’s case shows the anti-doping process in tennis is completely broken as she aimed a dig at WADA. Sinner’s doping saga ended on Saturday, February 15 with WADA withdrawing their appeal in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against the initial exoneration by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) in Sinner’s case.
WADA had filed an appeal in the CAS after Sinner, who twice tested positive for a banned substance last year, escaped a ban. Sinner pleaded not guilty during a hearing conducted by an independent tennis tribunal where the Italian insisted that he was unintentionally drugged after his masseur applied a cream on his body that contained a banned substance called clostebol.
WADA not only withdrew their appeal in the CAS but came to an agreement for only a 3-month ban for Sinner despite many expecting a much lengthier ban of around 2 years for the world no.1 for his offence. Earlier, WADA’s decision to agree a one-month ban with women’s world no.2 Iga Swiatek had raised eyebrows.
Jessica Pegula calls out WADA
Reacting to WADA’s 3-month ban agreement with Sinner to end his doping case, Pegula, who is also a member of the WTA Players’ Council, said that the inconsistencies in the way the anti-doping agency is handling cases in world tennis is beyond her understanding. She stated it is unfair for the players to be treated differently.
“I think my reaction is that, whether you think he did or you don’t, or whatever side you’re on, the process just seems to be completely not a process,” Pegula told reporters in Dubai on Sunday.
“It seems to just be whatever decisions and factors they take into consideration, and they just make up their own ruling. I don’t really understand how that’s fair for players when there’s just so much inconsistency and you have no idea,” she added.
Many players have joined the bandwagon in questioning WADA’s decision to hand only a 3-month ban to Sinner. The likes of Nick Kyrgios, Daniil Medvedev and Stan Wawrinka have all questioned the settlement decision, wondering if the world anti-doping agency is setting a new precedent for the players.
Pegula too believes the process is ‘broken’ at the moment and there needs to be serious reforms to avoid exploitation as doping could be a serious menace to world tennis.
“If you’re clean or not, the process is completely broken. I think it needs to be seriously looked at and considered,” said Pegula.
“I feel like they have so much power to ruin someone’s career, as well. I think there needs to be something done about that because it just seems really unfair,” she added.
American tennis ace Jessica Pegula believes the anti-doping process in tennis is completely broken after the WADA and Jannik Sinner agreed on a settlement with a 3-month ban for the Italian world no.1. Tennis Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
