In a surprising turn of events, the Laureus Academy has withdrawn tennis sensation Jannik Sinner's nomination for the prestigious World Sportsman of the Year Award. The decision, made this Thursday, cites Sinner's recent three-month doping suspension as the primary reason for his ineligibility.
Sinner, at just 23, had openly accepted the ban earlier this month after testing positive for the anabolic substance clostebol. The young star attributes the presence of the banned agent to inadvertent contamination during massages and sports therapy sessions conducted by his support team. The suspension is set to conclude on May 4, allowing Sinner to return to the courts before the upcoming French Open.
\"We have followed this case, the decisions of the relevant global bodies and – whilst we note the extenuating circumstances involved – feel that the three-month ban renders the nomination ineligible,\" stated Sean Fitzpatrick, Chairman of the Laureus Academy, in a letter to the nomination panel members. \"Jannik and his team have been informed.\"
Since its inception in 2000, the Laureus World Sports Awards have celebrated outstanding achievements in sports, with nominees chosen by global media to recognize both individual and team excellence. The award ceremony is slated to announce this year's contenders on March 3 in Madrid.
Sinner's journey this year has been a rollercoaster. After securing his Australian Open title in January, he faced a major setback by failing two drug tests in March 2024. Despite the positive results, an independent tribunal cleared him of any wrongdoing, allowing him to continue competing while he appealed the decision.
The revelation of these failed tests came just days before the U.S. Open, igniting controversy and sparking criticism from fellow players and fans alike. Many questioned the fairness of letting Sinner compete despite the positive tests, suggesting that his high ranking may have influenced the leniency shown towards him.
In a significant development, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against the tribunal's ruling. WADA contended that Sinner should face a longer ban of one to two years, asserting that the initial finding of \"no fault or negligence\" was erroneous under the prevailing rules.
However, just two weeks ago, Sinner agreed to an immediate three-month doping suspension following a settlement reached with WADA, leading to the withdrawal of their appeal to CAS. This resolution allows Sinner to return to the competitive scene before the next Grand Slam event.
Jannik Sinner's case marks the second doping-related suspension among top-ranked tennis players in recent months, following women's world number two Iga Swiatek's one-month ban in November.
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Sinner's Laureus Sportsman of Year nomination revoked after doping ban
cgtn.com
