WADA is appealing the decision to clear Jannik Sinner of wrongdoing after failed drug tests

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against an independent tribunal's August decision to clear tennis world number one Jannik Sinner of wrongdoing after he failed drug tests.

WADA said on Saturday that the tribunal's finding that there was “no fault or negligence” on the Italian's part was wrong under current rules and that it imposed a ban period between one and one for the Australian Open and US Open winner and two years”.

The tribunal organized by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) had accepted Sinner's explanation that the anabolic drug Clostebol had entered his body through massage and sports therapy by a member of his support team.

Sinner, who beat Roman Safiullin on Saturday to reach the quarterfinals of the China Open, said he was surprised by WADA's decision.

“We can’t control everything, can we? Obviously I'm very disappointed and frankly surprised by this appeal because we've had three hearings. All three hearings were very positive for me,” he told reporters in Beijing.

“We always talk about the same thing. Maybe they just want to make sure everything is in the right position. Yeah, I’m just surprised they appealed.”

The ITIA said in a statement on Saturday: “The trial was conducted in accordance with the guidelines of the World Anti-Doping Code; However, the ITIA recognizes and respects WADA’s right to appeal the decision of the independent tribunal.”

Sinner said his physical therapist, Giacomo Naldi, applied an over-the-counter spray containing Clostebol to his skin to treat a small finger wound and then performed massages without wearing gloves between March 5 and March 13, according to the ITIA.

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The latest tennis player to be implicated in a doping case after two-time major winner Simona Halep, Sinner maintained his innocence and said the amount of Clostebol found in his body was less than a billionth of a gram. In August, he fired his coach and physiotherapist.

A number of players have criticized the tribunal's ruling, including Britain's Tara Moore, who was sidelined for 19 months for failing a drugs test before being acquitted last year.

“I think only the pictures of the top players count,” she wrote on social media.

Reuters