The World Anti-Doping Agency has said that it will not appeal against the sanctions imposed on Polish tennis player Iga Swiatek, who tested positive for a prohibited substance in August 2024. Last year, on November 28, Swiatek accepted a one-month suspension under the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme, after testing positive for the prohibited substance trimetazidine (TMZ) in an out-of-competition sample in August 2024.
But the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) had accepted that the positive test was caused by the contamination of a regulated non-prescription medication (melatonin), manufactured and sold in Poland that the player had been taking for jet lag and sleep issues and that the violation was therefore not intentional.
Now, WADA said that following a thorough review, it will not appeal against the ban given to Swiatek to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
“The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) confirms that following a thorough review, it will not lodge an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in the case of Polish tennis player, Iga Swiatek, who tested positive for trimetazidine (TMZ), a prohibited substance, in August 2024,” WADA said in a statement.
“WADA has conducted a full review of the case file related to the ITIA decision, which it received on November 29. WADA’s scientific experts have confirmed that the specific contaminated melatonin scenario, as presented by the athlete and accepted by the ITIA, is plausible and that there would be no scientific grounds to challenge it at CAS.
“Further, WADA sought advice from external legal counsel, who considered that the athlete’s contamination explanation was well evidenced, that the ITIA decision was compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code and that there was no reasonable basis to appeal it to the CAS,” it said.
Swiatek was provisionally suspended from September 12 until October 4, before successfully appealing, missing three tournaments, which counts towards the sanction. In addition, she also forfeited prize money from the Cincinnati Open, the tournament directly following the test.
On September 22, 2024, Swiatek appealed against the provisional suspension to an independent tribunal chair. The following month, ITIA confirmed that Swiatek had accepted a one-month suspension.
Time served under provisional suspension is credited against the period of ineligibility. As such, Swiatek’s period of ineligibility was until December 4, 2024. Swiatek then served the remaining eight days to December 4 to make up the month.
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