Current doping controversies involving high gamers haven’t broken tennis’s status however having a single commissioner for the game would go a great distance in the direction of clearing up any confusion surrounding circumstances, John McEnroe mentioned.
Males’s world primary Jannik Sinner failed two drug checks in March for hint quantities of the anabolic androgenic steroid clostebol however was cleared of any wrongdoing by an impartial tribunal that accepted his clarification of unintentional contamination.
Ladies’s world quantity two Iga Swiatek accepted a one-month ban in November after a optimistic take a look at for hormone and metabolic modulator trimetazidine, which she mentioned was the results of contamination of her sleep remedy.
The ITIA, which runs tennis’s anti-doping program, mentioned each circumstances concerned “inadvertent breaches of the principles.”
“I do not assume it has completed any harm as a result of for those who look, it is manner worse within the different sports activities,” McEnroe, a former world primary turned ESPN broadcaster, advised reporters forward of the Australian Open.
“For my part tennis is cleaner than some other sport. Now that does not imply there aren’t points.”
He mentioned confusion stemming from the timing of the discharge of knowledge, like Sinner’s optimistic take a look at at March’s Indian Wells event not being made public till simply earlier than the US Open started in August, makes issues worse.
“That half I actually don’t love,” he mentioned.
Rennae Stubbs, a former participant, present coach and ESPN commentator, mentioned gamers are examined “on a regular basis” and {that a} commissioner may assist enhance transparency when a optimistic take a look at arises and the gamers’ status hangs within the steadiness.
“We’d like a commissioner of tennis that truly will get on the market and speaks on behalf of gamers to defend or not defend them,” she mentioned.
“The underside line is we’ve got nobody speaking for them.”
McEnroe mentioned he had lengthy advocated for a commissioner and had been “prepared, prepared and ready” to take the job.
“If I wasn’t the commissioner, there nonetheless ought to be a commissioner,” he mentioned.
“It would not seem like it is ever going to occur as a result of individuals are too busy, these tournaments shield their very own pursuits. They care about themselves, they do not care sufficient in regards to the sport,” he mentioned.
“So it is too unhealthy. However nonetheless, if it is not me, it ought to be another person.
“We’ll see if it occurs within the subsequent 10 years.”