TURIN, Italy — There “might have been higher communication” in explaining the foundations concerned in Jannik Sinner’s doping case, ATP Tour chairman Andrea Gaudenzi acknowledged Thursday.
Nevertheless, Gaudenzi mentioned on the ATP Finals that anybody hinting {that a} double normal was utilized due to top-ranked Sinner’s standing is “unfair as a result of the foundations have been the identical.”
Sinner is taking part in at dwelling this week for the primary time because it was introduced earlier than his US Open title run that he examined optimistic for an anabolic steroid in two separate drug assessments in March.
The case wasn’t made public till August.
“I discovered the day earlier than all of us discovered,” Gaudenzi mentioned in his first public feedback on the case throughout a roundtable dialogue with worldwide reporters. “And to be trustworthy, I am joyful about that. I actually thank the ITIA [International Tennis Integrity Agency] and our representatives there for deliberately retaining me and our whole staff at midnight as a result of that is the way it ought to be.
“It ought to be utterly impartial, and that was agreed by the [parties]. It was a shock, however clearly comforted by the proof afterward.”
A call by an impartial tribunal to clear Sinner of wrongdoing was appealed by the World Anti-Doping Company in September, and the Switzerland-based Courtroom of Arbitration for Sport is anticipated to make a remaining ruling on the case early subsequent 12 months.
Sinner’s rationalization was that the banned efficiency enhancer entered his system unintentionally by a therapeutic massage from his physiotherapist, who used a twig containing the steroid to deal with his personal reduce finger.
WADA is looking for a ban of 1 to 2 years for Sinner.
“We’re utterly exterior, and it is [an] impartial course of,” Gaudenzi mentioned. “I typically suppose [it] has been a good course of. It was actually finished by the ebook and by the foundations. Perhaps there might have been higher communication in explaining these guidelines, and that’s one thing that I’d urge each occasion concerned to work higher within the subsequent time.”
Gaudenzi additionally mentioned he plans to announce Sunday the long run host of the ATP Finals. The contract with Turin expires subsequent 12 months, and there may be an possibility to maneuver the occasion to close by Milan at an even bigger area being constructed for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics.
“We’re all tremendous proud of what’s occurred right here in Turin, and naturally we have been a bit fortunate with the gamers in Italy,” Gaudenzi mentioned. “It is not solely Jannik but additionally Matteo Berrettini performed the primary version. No person might foresee that.
“We knew we had been going to a tennis nation,” added Gaudenzi, who’s Italian and a former professional participant. “[Finals] ought to positively go in a market that loves tennis. … It is clearly going to get higher when you’ve got a neighborhood hero, little question.”
Gaudenzi doesn’t wish to transfer the finals too distant geographically from the earlier cease on the circuit, the Paris Masters.
“We wish to attempt to keep away from the gamers to fly world wide,” he mentioned, “as a result of they do sufficient touring throughout all year long.”