Jannik Sinner (L), Martina Navratilova (R) – Image Source: Getty

Martina Navratilova hasn’t taken kindly to the WADA appealing Jannik Sinner’s doping case verdict. The legend lashed out at the organization’s seeming double standards, pointing at their decision not to appeal the case of 23 Chinese swimmers, who found themselves in a similar situation.

In August, Sinner was declared innocent by an independent tribunal concerning his two positive doping tests from March. While the World No. 1 was stripped of ranking points and prize money earned at Indian Wells, where the tests occurred, he was allowed to continue playing, considering he was found to bear “no fault or negligence.” The positive results for minuscule traces of Clostebol, which the tribunal established wouldn’t have enhanced his performance in any way, occurred due to his fitness coach and physiotherapists’ errors, according to the evidence provided.

On September 26, however, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) appealed Jannik Sinner’s verdict. The official statement did not question the unintentional contamination but challenged the “no fault or negligence” decision, seemingly insinuating that the World No. 1 should bear some responsibility for his former team members’ mistakes. The WADA asked for a period of no eligibility between one and two years but did not seek any disqualification of results.

Tennis legend Martina Navratilova was left fuming by the organization’s decision to appeal the independent tribunal and ITIA’s (International Tennis Integrity Agency) verdict despite Jannik Sinner’s innocence.

“This is nuts. WADA is a mess,” Martina Navratilova wrote on X.

The 18-time Grand Slam champion seemingly accused the agency of double standards, recounting the case of 23 Chinese swimmers, who were let off earlier this year, despite testing positive for trimetazidine in 2021.

“The Chinese swimmers walk and now this? What a bad system we have …” she continued.

In a case very similar to Jannik Sinner’s, the WADA decided against appealing the swimmers’ “no fault or negligence” verdict. Additionally, just like in the World No. 1’s case, it was established that traces of the banned substance found in the athletes’ samples would not have had any performance-enhancing effect.

Navratilova noted that if she were in Sinner’s shoes, she would have never known which ointment her physiotherapist used to heal their own injury.

“It literally would never have occurred to me to ask what cream or oil my massage therapist uses, if that is how it got into his system… This clearly wasn’t cheating…yikes,” Martina Navratilova said.

Besides Martina Navratilova, Jannik Sinner received support from Carlos Alcaraz, Boris Becker, and others

Martina Navratilova wasn’t the only prominent figure to speak out in favor of Jannik Sinner.

The World No. 1 received support from other former players, such as six-time Grand Slam champion Boris Becker and Mark Petchey.

His arch-rival Carlos Alcaraz, too, wished for the controversy to end so the two-time Grand Slam champion could shift his focus entirely to tennis. The Spaniard also called out WADA’s appeal, noting that it wasn’t a “good sign” for tennis.

“I just saw the news and it surprised me a little bit. Okay, what’s going on that the case is open again? I don’t know how it’s going to be the next months. For sure to tennis, not a good sign,” he said during a recent press conference at the China Open.

“It’s difficult. I know that is a really difficult point. I know everyone talking about it, the news, talking about it,” Alcaraz added.

The World No. 3 also praised Jannik Sinner’s on-court success despite the ordeal.

“The game and the level that he’s playing with everything he’s been through right now, it’s insane. He’s able to put all the things aside when he steps on the court, playing a good tennis, is unbelievable,” he said.

Just like Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner has advanced to the quarterfinals of the China Open. The World No. 1 is the defending champion at the event and faces Jiri Lehecka for a spot in the final four on Monday, September 30.