Iga Swiatek gets suspended after testing positive for doping

Tennis player Iga Swiatek agreed to a one-match suspension after testing positive for a banned substance in an out-of-competition test in August 2024, the International Tennis Integrity Agency said on Thursday, November 28. An illegal drug, trimetazidine (TMZ), used as a heart medicine, was detected in five-time Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatek's blood.

However, according to the ITIA, the player did not exhibit any serious carelessness or wrongdoing, which is why they were banned for a month. Iga Swiatek missed three events after receiving a preliminary suspension on September 12, 2024, which he later successfully appealed. On September 22, the Polish player filed an appeal against the temporary suspension, informing an impartial panel that the tainted medication produced in her nation was the cause of the adverse test. 

Weeks after Iga Swiatek's bronze medal in the Olympics in Paris, the drug test failed. According to investigations, the illegal chemical came from a tainted regulated melatonin drug that was produced and marketed in Poland and used to treat jet lag and insomnia. 

Iga Swiatek participate in the WTA Finals in Riyadh

According to the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme's (TADP) "No Significant Fault or Negligence" category, Swiatek was found to have limited liability by the ITIA. Swiatek's ban will formally end on December 4, 2024, once the time spent under the provisional suspension is credited. Following the positive test, Swiatek immediately lost prize money from the Cincinnati Open.

Iga Swiatek has been one of the most well-known names in women's tennis in recent years. The 23-year-old won the French Open for the third consecutive year earlier this year. Four of her five Grand Slam victories came at the French Open, while one came at the US Open. We last saw Iga Swiatek participate in the WTA Finals in Riyadh in the first week of November. In the preliminary round, the 2022 champion was defeated.