“I’ve said from the start that I believe he’s innocent”: Madrid Open director regrets Jannik Sinner’s suspension
ATP
Feliciano López has defended Jannik Sinner amid the controversial doping case that resulted in a three-month suspension for the world No. 1. The Madrid Open director expressed his disappointment that the tournament will not feature Sinner due to the suspension he accepted as part of an agreement with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
After Sinner was found innocent of any “fault or negligence,” WADA initially announced an appeal seeking a suspension of one to two years, with a final decision expected in April. However, an agreement was reached with the player for a reduced three-month ban.
The Italian began serving his suspension on February 9 and will be eligible to return at the Rome Open, just days after the Madrid Open concludes. The three-time Grand Slam champion will have a chance to play one warm-up tournament before the French Open, where he will compete for his fourth major title.
In a recent interview with Marca, Spanish former player and Madrid Open director Feliciano López defended Sinner, arguing that the Italian shouldn’t have been suspended at all: “I’ve said from the start that I believe he’s innocent,” he stated. “He has proven he was not responsible for his positive test. From that perspective, I don’t understand why he has to miss three months of competition.”
“I understand the argument that players are ultimately responsible for their careers, but in my view, if an athlete is innocent and hasn’t cheated to enhance their performance, they shouldn’t be suspended for even a single day. I respect all opinions, but that’s mine, and I think the sooner he’s back, the better.”
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