Footage shows Jannik Sinner may have violated three-month doping ban

Banned tennis star Jannik Sinner may find himself in even more hot water after recent footage appeared to show him in violation of his doping ban.

Footage posted to social media of world number one Jannik Sinner shows he may have already violated his doping ban.

The ATP Tour’s top player’s long doping saga came to an end on Saturday night after he agreed to a three-month ban from tennis.

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The world No. 1 admitted “partial responsibility” for mistakes made by members of his team which led to him twice testing positive for traces of clostebol in March last year.

The ban runs from February 9 to May 4, allowing him to return before the French Open and just days before the Rome Open — Italy’s biggest tournament on the ATP Tour.

According to UK tennis commentator ‘Pavvy G’ the Italian “cannot train at any official Tennis facility or with any active tennis player until April 13. He is not allowed to play in any Tennis events until May 4. (Rome Masters starts on May 6.)”

In the wake of the news however, recent footage has begun doing the rounds which appears to show Sinner in violation of the above terms.

The video posted to X, by The Tennis Letter on February 14, shows Sinner training on the courts ahead of the ATP Qatar Open in Doha.

Tennis fans were quick to pose the question of why he was allowed to practice days after the ban had reportedly come into play.

One wrote: “Officially training when he was banned lmfao.”

A second added: “How was he allowed to practice at tournament facility if his suspension started on Feb 9.”

A fourth questioned: “If he was banned effective Feb 9, how was he allowed to practice on the courts on Feb 13?”

Sinner accepted a three-month ban from WADA. (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images)

News of Sinner’s ban sparked fierce backlash among tennis stars around the globe, including Australian Nick Kyrgios and two-time grand slam champ Stanislas Wawrinka.

Kyrgios has been the most vocal player on tour to speak out against Sinner since the 23-year-old’s preliminary doping findings were made public last year and on Saturday night he delivered a social media barrage.

“Dodgy as,” Kyrgios posted on X.

“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.

“Bad day for tennis.”

He also posted: “So he was found guilty - hence the ban. But didn’t get stripped of anything and can play the French. Sad sad sad day”.

Kyrgios was not a fan of the punishment. Picture: Michael Klein

Sinner will be back in time for the French Open. Picture: Mark Stewart

Wawrinka also wrote: “I don’t believe in a clean sport any more”.

Former world No. 1 Yevgeny Kafelnikov posted: “I just don’t get it! If you are absolutely 100 per cent sure of your innocence (as he was before with his lawyers), why you accepting 3 month ban?? Makes no sense to me”.

The tennis world has been left with so may unanswered questions that have left a bitter taste in the mouths of many.

The biggest question remains why both parties would even consider negotiating the case.

English media commentator Piers Morgan posted for his 8.8 million followers: “A ‘settlement’? I didn’t realise drug offence punishments in sport could be negotiated… what a joke”.

French champion Marion Bartoli told one media outlet: “When you put everything together, you still say to yourself, aren’t they taking the piss a bit?”

Sinner will forever be titled a “drug cheat”. (Photo by DAVID GRAY / AFP)

Equally as reputation-destroying for Sinner is the fact that he now must live with the fact he has agreed that he committed a doping infringement.

Fans around the world will not be forgiving of a player who, rightfully or wrongly, will forever be stamped with the title “drug cheat”.

Sinner’s statement showed he “accepted WADA’s offer” — instead of fighting to clear his name.

“This case had been hanging over me now for nearly a year and the process still had a long time to run with a decision maybe only at the end of the year,” 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. On that basis I have accepted WADA’s offer to resolve these proceedings on the basis of a three-month sanction.”

WADA said separately that “Sinner did not intend to cheat” but that he would serve his suspension as he is responsible for the actions of his entourage.

Sport’s global doping watchdog confirmed it was withdrawing its appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which was due to hear the case in April.

Originally published as Footage shows Jannik Sinner may have violated three-month doping ban