Jannik Sinner has reacted to WADA's appeal which could lead to a lengthy ban from the sport(Image: (Image: Getty))

Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic's comments as Jannik Sinner 'faces threat of tennis ban'

Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer have made their feelings clear on the Jannik Sinner case, with the world number one now facing the prospect of a two-year ban

by · The Mirror

Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer both raised concerns over the sport's procedures after Jannik Sinner dodged a suspension despite testing positive for steroids twice.

The world number one is now under renewed scrutiny after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) appealed against the "no fault or negligence" ruling for two positive tests. Sinner, who won the US Open earlier this month, tested positive for an anabolic steroid twice in March. However, on August 20, an independent tribunal ruled he was not at fault and imposed no penalty.

The tribunal accepted Sinner's claim that the banned substance entered his system due to a massage from his physio, who used a spray containing the steroid to treat a finger cut. However, WADA has taken the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, seeking a ban of up to two years for the 23-year-old.

A statement from the agency read: "It is WADA's view that the finding of 'no fault or negligence' was not correct under the applicable rules. WADA is seeking a period of ineligibility of between one and two years."

Currently competing in the China Open, Sinner expressed his "disappointment and surprise" at WADA's appeal. However, the initial verdict, which allowed Sinner to continue playing, sparked suggestions that the Italian received preferential treatment due to his high-ranking position in tennis.

Federer understands the concerns of his peers and fans regarding the treatment of certain players. On the Today Show earlier this month, he said: "I understand the frustration of: Has he been treated the same as others? And I think this is where it comes down to. We all trust pretty much at the end, he didn't do anything.

"But the inconsistency, potentially, that he didn't have to sit out while they were not 100% sure what was going on. I think that's the question here that needs to be answered."

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Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic raised similar concerns over Jannik Sinner's treatment( Image: (Image: Getty))

Djokovic admitted similar concerns last month. He said: "I understand the frustration of the players is there, because of a lack of consistency. As I understood, his case was cleared the moment basically it was announced.

"We see a lack of standardised and clear protocols. I can understand the sentiments of a lot of players that are questioning whether they are treated the same. Many players have had similar or pretty much the same cases, where they haven't had the same outcome.

"And now the question is whether it is a case of the funds, whether a player can afford to pay a significant amount of money for a law firm that would then more efficiently represent his or her case."

However, Rafael Nadal disagreed with suggestions Sinner had been let off lightly. The Spanish hero told the El Hormiguero talkshow: "If he hasn't been sanctioned, it's because the judge has clearly seen that he hasn't doped. I don't think they have judged him as innocent simply because he is the world number one."

US Open champion Jannik Sinner could be handed a two-year ban from tennis( Image: AFP via Getty Images)

Sinner reacted to the WADA appeal following his win against Roman Safiullin at the China Open, saying "I'm very disappointed and also surprised because we had three hearings. All three hearings came out very positively for me."

Quizzed on the timing of the appeal announcement, made while he was on court, he said: "Well, we cannot control everything, no? Obviously, I'm very disappointed and also surprised of this appeal, to be honest, because we had three hearings.

"All three hearings came out very positively for me. You know, I was not expecting it. I knew it a couple of days ago, that they were going to appeal, that today it's going to go official, so... But yeah, it's surprise.

"We always talk about the same thing. Maybe they just want to make sure that everything is in the right position. Yeah, I'm just surprised that they appealed."

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