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The former WTA tennis world number one, Iga Swiatek, was caught in a doping allegation, and she finally broke the silence on the allegations. She missed the final few tournaments like the China Open, Beijing Open, and Wuhan Open, citing personal reasons. Now we know because she tested positive for doping, and they suspended her for one month from competing in any tennis tournaments. She didn't reveal anything to the press about her withdrawal from those tournaments, telling different reasons like coaching change.
Iga Swiatek Breaks silence
ATP tennis player and world No. 1Jannik Sinner also tested positive for doping and is under investigation like Iga. Many started comparing the tennis players about doping, and now the Polish player has clarified her stance. She said, “I know that people automatically need to compare such situations to others that have happened before, but the truth is that each of these cases is completely different. And the process of proving innocence will also vary accordingly.”
Iga Swiatek says it's hard to compare her case with Jannik Sinner’s or Simona Halep's:
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) December 12, 2024
“I know that people need to automatically compare such situations to others that have already happened, but the truth is that each of these cases is completely different. And the process of… pic.twitter.com/Yugvew4OHq
Iga Swiatak added she can't be compared with any cases of doping in tennis that happened before, as each one is very different from others. She added, “It's hard to compare me to Sinner, Halep, or Kamil Majchrzak because each of us is dealing with a different issue. I think that's more of a question for ITIA than for the players. My fate, just like others,’ was in their hands, and they decide how each case unfolds.”
Also Read: How much money Iga Swiatek spent to prove her innocence?
Finally, she said she would trust the process and leave it to the governing body. If a player is caught using a banned substance, then the International Tennis Federation and World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) have some rules. Punishments can start with an official warning and a lengthy ban from playing. Maria Sharapova was banned for two years in 2016, and Simona Halep was handed a four-year ban in 2022. Now Iga Swiatek is banned for 1 month, which shows the intensity of the punishment each player can receive for doping.