'Not satisfied with how..' - Novak Djokovic shares his views on Jannik Sinner's three-months ban

Novak Djokovic has finally shared his view on the ongoing controversy related to the Jannik Sinner doping case. After being found guilty, the World No.1 Jannik Sinner will serve a three-month ban. Novak Djokovic describes this as “favoritism.” Novak Djokovic does not agree with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), as Sinner got a three-month ban, and he accuses them of giving him preferential treatment.

This has divided the tennis community deeply over the Sinner case. Jannik Sinner and WADA struck a settlement on February 15, bringing a conclusion to the protracted doping probe against the Italian athlete. Sinner is permitted to participate in the remaining Grand Slam events this year despite accepting a three-month penalty after testing positive for a prohibited substance. But there has been a lot of criticism of the verdict, with many people including Djokovic claiming that it was much too forgiving.

During the Qatar Open, Novak Djokovic expressed his opinions openly, implying that Sinner's ranking as the world's top player was a major factor in his shortened sentence. According to the 36-year-old, the decision creates a risky precedent that could result in top-ranked players receiving shorter punishments than others who are accused of the same crimes.

"It almost seems like you can influence the outcome if you are a top player and have access to the best lawyers. Sinner and Swiatek are innocent, it has been proven. Jannik will have a three-month suspension due to some mistakes and negligence of some members of his team, who are working on the tour. This is also something that I personally and many other players find strange,” Djokovic said.

"I have spoken to several players in the locker room, not only in the last few days but also in the months before. Most of them are not satisfied with how the whole process has gone and do not think it was fair. Many believe that there were favorites," he added.

Many athletes are against the ban

Other well-known athletes have questioned the decision besides Djokovic. Top-ranked player Daniil Medvedev recently expressed his hope that Sinner's case will provide a precedent for doping investigations in the future, enabling other athletes to receive lighter punishments.

Jannik Sinner insisted that the drug had unintentionally gotten into his system, allegedly through messages from one of his support staff. Before the trial, the two sides agreed on a compromise, which led to the three-month ban. The case was originally scheduled for a hearing in April 2025.