Sinner, Wada defends itself from criticism: "Her case was a million miles away from doping". Controversy in Spain for Barquero

Rome, 18 February 2025 - Ross Wenzel, the General Counsel of the WADA defends himself from criticism: "Sinner's case was a million miles away from doping.. From the scientific documentation we received it emerged that this it was not a case of intentional doping, not even in micro-doses."

Wenzel, considered one of the most experienced lawyers in anti-doping legislation, has argued many cases for WADA at the TAS in Lausanne, and has rejected any hypothesis of favoritism advanced by Djokovic, reporting opinions of other players and former players.

Jannik Sinner

Wenzel, interviewed by the BBC, defended the sanction considering it "at the right point" for what happened. "When we analyse these cases, we do it from the point of view technical, scientific, without worrying about what the public, politicians or anyone else might say about it," Wenzel said.

Meanwhile Controversy mounts in Spain for the case of the figure skater Laura Barquero, tested positive twice for doping in 8 months for use of clostebol and suspended on October 21, 2024 after a plea bargain of a fine 6 years of incapacity. In a statement sent to the AP news agency, WADA responded to the criticism and comparisons with the Sinner case made by the Spanish media: "In the Sinner case the evidence clearly confirmed the athlete's explanation as outlined in the first instance decision (Itia, ed.)". The statement also clarified that "the six-year ban had been agreed and signed by WADA, ISU and the athlete and if Barquero had not agreed to the proposed sanction, would not have been obliged to sign the settlement agreement of the case and was free to pursue the case for hearing at the CAS".

Sinner tested positive for clostebol a March of last year and, after the International Tennis Integrity Agency decided not to suspend the Italian, WADA announced that it had appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and asked for a one- to two-year ban. However, WADA later announced on Saturday that it had agreed to an immediate three-month ban. Sinner's suspension runs from February 9 to May 4, allowing him to play in the remainder of this year's Grand Slams.