Jannik Sinner's ex-physio 'hopes' to explain reason for failed drug tests

Jannik Sinner failed two drug tests at Indian Wells in March and was found not to be guilty of any intentional use of a banned substance. He was, therefore, not suspended, and was able to keep playing after a review by the International Tennis Integrity Agency(ITIA). The quick verdict was unusual for tennis, however.

The problem was other players, such as Simona Halep, failed drug tests and were immediately handed bans until they could prove their innocence. In Sinner's case, he appeared to be able to prove his innocence first. Some have argued there is a bit of a cover-up because he was the top-ranked player on the ATP tour by the time the news of his failed tests came out.

The issue allegedly stems from Sinner's ex-physio, Giacomo Naldi, using a spray to help give the player a massage. The physio did not use gloves during the massage and the spray appears to have been contaminated with the banned substance, clostebol.

Jannik Sinner's ex-physio hopes to set record straight as far as the player's failed drug tests

Whether you believe those facts or not is up to you, but that was apparently enough to get the ITIA to release Sinner from any wrongdoing. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has appealed Sinner being found innocent because, while WADA seems to agree Sinner did not do anything intentionally wrong, the agency believes Sinner is partially to blame for what happened.

As far as Naldi, he recently spoke at a presentation for the Open Food Factory Project, and though he did not give any details about what happened with Sinner, he did imply that one day he would like to set the record fully straight on Sinner's innocence. Naldi was terminated after the news broke of Sinner testing positive, and Naldi was replaced by former Novak Djokovic physio Ulises Badio.

Naldi said at the presentation, "I'm sorry like everyone else. I can't say anything else, I just hope, sooner or later, I can also tell what happened to give a general picture, as anyone who has read the sentence knows. (Sinner) wrote to me, he was nice like all the staff."

Some, such as Nick Kyrgios, will always find fault with Sinner for being partially to blame for testing positive. The situation also comes down to trust. If one believes Sinner and Naldi, they will think Sinner is innocent. Otherwise, he will always be guilty.

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