Roger Federer has weighed in on the news that Jannik Sinner has been allowed to play in tournaments despite undergoing a trial for a doping offence.
Among the most prominent subtexts at the ongoing US Open is Italian world No.1 Jannik Sinner getting away without a ban despiting testing positive twice for the banned substance clostebol. A number of fellow and former players have questioned the decision to let him play in competitions during the time that he was undergoing a secret trial for the issue.
“I understand it’s a tricky situation. It’s the nightmare of every athlete and team to have these allegations and these problems because we fill out these forms all day every day. And it lives with you. Every morning when you wake up, you think, ‘Is somebody at the door coming to test me?’ So it’s really difficult.”
The inconsistency is the real issue, says Federer
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Among the most common criticism directed at the authorities over the situation is that Sinner was allowed to play in competitions despite being under trial. Sinner’s coach Darren Cahill highlighted the disparity in resources available to top-ranked players like Sinner compared to lower-ranked athletes, noting that Sinner’s team was able to afford expert legal representation and scientific analysis to support his case.
Federer, who won 20 Grand Slams in a glittering career, also addressed the concerns about the fairness of the process. “I understand the frustration of, ‘Has he been treated the same as others? And I think this is where it comes down to. I think we all trust pretty much that Jannik didn’t do anything, but the inconsistency potentially that he didn’t have to sit out while they weren’t 100 percent sure what was going on, I think that’s the question here that needs to be answered. But look, it is what it is, and we need to trust the process as well of anyone involved here,” he said.
