Shocked Sinner: “I have nothing to hide”

Jannik Sinner on Saturday vowed to cooperate with an unprecedented second     investigation into his closed doping case, with the world No. 1 proclaiming: “I have nothing to hide.”

The Italian, currently playing in Beijing at the China Open, was reeling after anti doping body WADA  filed a protest with the Swiss-based Court for the Arbitration of Sport, protesting his exoneration from charges of coming in contact with a banned substance.

The case – a repeat of one last spring during which he was cleared – could drag on for months.

“I  am disappointed to hear that WADA have chosen to appeal the result of my ITIA hearing after the independent judges had exonerated me and deemed me to be innocent,” the player said in a statement.

“Over the past few months and throughout this process there have been three separate hearings in each case confirming my innocence.  

“(Three  senior  judges) issued an in-depth judgement explaining why they determined me not at fault, with clear evidence provided and my cooperation throughout.

On the back of such a robust process both the ITIA and the Italian anti-doping authority accepted it and waived their rights to appeal.”

Sinner added: “I understand these things need to be thoroughly investigated to maintain the integrity of the sport we all love.

“However, it is difficult to see what will be gained by asking a different set of three judges to look at the same facts and documentation all over again.  

“This being said, I have nothing to hide, and as I have done throughout the summer, I will cooperate fully with the appeal process and provide whatever may be needed to prove my innocence once again.

“As the case is now pending before CAS, I won’t comment further.”

Main photo:- Jannik Sinner won US Open 2024 after being cleared by ITIA of a banned substance abuse – by International Sports Fotos Ltd