Martina Navratilova slams WADA over Jannik Sinner appeal

Sinner has a new issue in relation to his failed drug tests.
2024 China Open
2024 China Open / Lintao Zhang/GettyImages
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Jannik Sinner is currently the story of tennis. He is the ATP No. 1 player, of course, and he has won two Grand Slam titles this year, including the most recent one at the US Open, but unfortunately, he also failed two drug tests while playing Indian Wells in March. He was not suspended and some have had issues with that.

Still, Sinner was found innocent of any intentional wrongdoing by the International Tennis Integrity Agency and the only points and money he lost stemmed from his failed drug tests at Indian Wells. Was the review of his tests held relatively quickly? Yes. Does that mean he was guilty or was there a cover-up? No.

Still, last week the World Anti-Doping Agency took it upon themselves to appeal Sinner's finding of innocence. What they see as a potential outcome is anyone's guess, but they did request the Italian be suspended for a year or two. Seems harsh, especially for an organization that should be somewhat impartial.

Martina Navratilova has Jannik Sinner's back about new issue about failed drug tests

Tennis great Martina Navratilova was having none of what WADA was trying to dish out, though. She has never been one to hold back on what she is thinking and she normally reacts with forethought and knowing the facts. Was it WADA's business to try to get Sinner suspended after he had been found innocent? Not according to Navratilova.

She wrote on X/Twitter, "This is nuts. WADA is a mess. The Chinese swimmers walk and now this? What a bad system we have..."

Navratilova did not simply make a post and then run away, though. People replied to her in the negative, and she responded. Again, she is not one to give her thoughts and then not stand behind them. She defends her stance.

One response to her was asking if Navratilova voiced her displeasure about what happened to Simona Halep when the situation was similar to Sinner's and Navratilova responded with, "Yes, I did. Now what?" To be fair, the responder should have done a tiny bit of research and noticed Navratilova had had a strong stance about what happened with Halep being suspended for four years initially.

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Another responder asked if Navratilova was being "sponsored" for her view, which makes little sense. She responded, "And who would be sponsoring me? Do tell please- I need to send an invoice."

Navratilova was simply giving her opinion on the Sinner situation and hers is a wise one. WADA's sudden involvement is odd.

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