World number one Jannik Sinner has been exonerated of doping charges after twice testing positive for a banned substance in March.
The Italian was found to have inadvertently contaminated with a metabolite of clostebol, a steroid used for muscle building, due to exposure to a physiotherapist’s over-the-counter spray.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) accepted the explanation and determined that the violation was unintentional.
While Sinner was cleared of any wrongdoing, he will forfeit the ranking points and prize money earned from his semi-final appearance at the Indian Wells tournament.
“I will now put this challenging and deeply unfortunate period behind me,” Sinner said in a statement. “I will continue to do everything I can to ensure I continue to comply with the ITIA’s anti-doping program. I have a team around me that are meticulous in their own compliance.”
The decision to clear Sinner has sparked criticism on social media from several players, including Nick Kyrgios, Liam Broady, and Denis Shapovalov.
Despite the controversy, Sinner will enter the US Open as the top seed.
