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In a surprising turn of events, World No. 2 and five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek has accepted a one-month suspension following a positive doping test for trimetazidine (TMZ), the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced on Thursday.
The positive test, detected in an out-of-competition sample taken in August, was attributed to contamination from her melatonin medication, which is available over the counter in her native Poland. Swiatek, 23, had been using melatonin to manage jet lag and sleep issues, leading the ITIA to determine that there was no significant fault or negligence on her part.
As a result, the ITIA imposed a one-month suspension from September 12 to October 4, causing her to miss three tournaments. Additionally, Swiatek forfeited her prize money from the Cincinnati Open, which directly followed the testing period. The suspension affected her standing, allowing Aryna Sabalenka to overtake her in the world rankings and finish the year as No. 1.
Swiatek expressed her feelings on Instagram, describing the ordeal as the "worst experience of my life." She highlighted the stress and anxiety she and her team endured during the strict ITIA proceedings, which ultimately confirmed her innocence. Swiatek stated, \"With a clean slate, I can go back to what I love most.\"
The anti-doping violation was initially kept private, but was later clarified after Swiatek provided samples of her melatonin product to the WADA-accredited SMRTL laboratory in Salt Lake City. The lab confirmed the presence of low doses of TMZ in both opened and sealed containers of the medication.
Following the confirmation, the provisional suspension was lifted on October 4, and the case was forwarded to an Independent Tribunal for further review.
Reference(s):
Swiatek accepts one-month ban after failing doping test, says ITIA
cgtn.com
