New Delhi: Former World No.1 Daniil Medvedev hopes Jannik Sinner’s acceptance of an immediate three-month doping ban should become a precedent for all future cases in tennis.
Australian Open champion Sinner stared at a two-year ban after World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) moved to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to appeal against an independent tribulation’s ruling of clearing the current World No. 1 of wrongdoing following failed dope tests.
But instead of waiting for the CAS hearing the Italian accepted a suspension of three months to return to action in time for the French Open as WADA withdrew its case.
“I hope that the next few times, the players will be able to do that. WADA will say, ‘We’ve found that (anti-doping rule violation), you get two years.’ And you say, ‘Well, no, I want one month’,” Medvedev said.
“So I hope that it will create a precedent where everyone will have the opportunity to defend themselves better than before. Otherwise, if it’s not going to be possible, it’s going to be bizarre.”
‘Good lawyers’
Medvedev felt Sinner’s access to a formidable team of lawyers helped him reach a settlement and avoid a lengthy ban, which is a luxury for most players on the ATP tour.
“I hope that everyone will have the right to represent themselves because sometimes players don’t have the money for a lawyer, they do it themselves,” the Russian said.
“It’s a bad sign if he’s the only one who can do that, but it’s a very good sign if, after that, everyone will be able to do it.”
Sinners settlement has received heavy criticism from current and former players. Nick Kyrgios termed it was a “sad day for tennis”.
“I don’t think in any way he has been trying to cheat at any stage,” Tim Henman told Sky Sports.
“However, when I read this statement… it just seems a little bit too convenient. It seems that there’s words like ‘agreement’, and it almost seems like there’s been a negotiation.
“I think when you’re dealing with drugs in sport, it very much has to be black and white. It’s binary, it’s positive or negative – you’re banned or you’re not banned.”
Novak Djokovic established Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) said “bias is unacceptable” pointing to several other players receiving longer sanctions.
World No. 1 Jannik Sinner accepted a suspension of three months for doping offence from WADA and will return to action before the French Open, raising eyebrows in the tennis community Tennis Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
