WADA: Kyrgios takes aim after Jannik Sinner, tennis world No. 1, accepts three-month doping ban

World No. 1 Jannik Sinner has accepted an immediate three-month doping ban, but outspoken Australian star Nick Kyrgios has slammed the outcome.

World No.1 Jannik Sinner has accepted an immediate three-month ban after reaching an agreement with the World Anti-Doping Agency.

But outspoken Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios has hit out, describing it as a “sad day for tennis”.

In a statement issued by WADA on Saturday, Jannik has accepted a three-month ban dated from February 9 to May 4, a settlement in relation to his two positive drug tests last year.

It means he will be free to play in the next major on the circuit, the French Open, which starts on May 25. He is free to return to training in April.

Sinner won the Australian Open last month.

The Italian returned two positive tests last year, but was free to continue playing after an independent tribunal found Sinner bore no fault or negligence.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) accepted his argument that the steroid entered his system due to contamination from his physiotherapist and opted not to suspend him.

Jannik Sinner poses with the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup after winning the 2025 Australian Open. He has since accepted a three-month doping ban. Picture: Getty Images

WADA lodged an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in September.

WADA accepted Sinner “did not intend to cheat, and that his exposure to clostebol did not provide any performance-enhancing benefit and took place without his knowledge as the result of negligence of members of his entourage”.

But, as WADA wrote in a statement, under the Code and by virtue of CAS precedent, an athlete bears responsibility for the entourage’s negligence

WADA did not seek to have Sinner stripped of any results.

“This case has been hanging over me now for nearly a year and the process still had a long time to run,” Sinner said.

“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.”

Jannik Sinner, who won the Australian Open in January, has accepted a three-month ban related to two positive drug tests last year. Picture: Getty Images

Kyrgios, who has spoken out about Sinner’s test results and lack of action, took to X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram to share his opinion.

“So WADA (sic) come out and say it would be a 1-2 year ban,” Kyrgios wrote.

“Obviously Sinner’s team have done everything in their power to just go ahead and take a 3-month ban, no titles lost, no prizemoney lost.

“Guilty or not? Sad day for tennis. Fairness in tennis does not exist.”

DODGY AS 😭😅

— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) February 15, 2025

So wada come out and say it would be a 1-2 year ban. Obviously sinners team have done everything in their power to just go ahead and take a 3 month ban, no titles lost, no prize money lost. Guilty or not? Sad day for tennis. Fairness in tennis does not exist.

— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) February 15, 2025

Nick Kyrgios takes aim at Jannik Sinner. Pictuer: Instagram

Former Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka also chimed in.

“I don’t believe in a clean sport anymore ...” he wrote.

I don’t believe in a clean sport anymore …

— Stanislas Wawrinka (@stanwawrinka) February 15, 2025

Kyrgios called out world tennis for Sinner’s treatment, which he described as “not fair treatment for every single player”.

Fellow Australian Max Purcell was slapped with a provisional ban after self-reporting that he was unknowingly administered an IV drip above the 100ml legal limit while at a hospital in Bali.

He missed the Australian Open as a result.

Australia's Nick Kyrgios has been outspoken about Jannik Sinner’s case. Picture: AFP

Women’s world No. 2 Iga Swiatek also quietly served a one-month ban in September after testing positive to the banned substance trimetazidine (TMZ) in an out-of-competition sample taken in August.

That came out in November.

“Two world No. 1s (Sinner and Swiatek) both getting done for doping is disgusting for our sport. It’s a horrible look,” Kyrgios said earlier this year.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency said the outcome supported their findings.

“The original process was run according to the World Anti-Doping Code and Tennis Anti-Doping Programme,” a statement read.

“Following a thorough investigation by the ITIA (including advice from WADA accredited laboratories), we were satisfied that the player had established the source of the prohibited substance and that the breach was unintentional.”

Originally published as WADA: Kyrgios takes aim after Jannik Sinner, tennis world No. 1, accepts three-month doping ban