Doping investigation has ‘worn down’ Jannik Sinner physically and mentally, says coach Cahill

New Delhi, Aug 21 (IANS) World number one tennis player Jannik Sinner’s coach Darren Cahill has revealed that the 22-year old has been worn down "physically and mentally" by the investigation into his positive tests for a banned substance.

The Italian tennis star tested positive twice in March for clostebol, a banned anabolic steroid, but was cleared of any fault or negligence by an independent tribunal last week. The ruling concluded that Sinner had been inadvertently contaminated through his physiotherapist, Giacomo Naldi.

The controversy erupted after Sinner’s positive tests were first flagged in April, yet his performance on the court hardly wavered. He went on to capture titles in Halle and Cincinnati, ultimately clinching the top ranking for the first time in his career. However, according to his coach Darren Cahill, those results only tell part of the story.

"I guess if you are not a Jannik fan, you may not see too much difference in what he has been doing the last few months because he has still been playing quite well," Cahill told ESPN. "But if you are a Jannik fan, you would have seen a big change in his body language, physicality on the court, his excitement to be on the court. He’s struggled, and I think it’s worn him down physically and mentally."

The investigation revealed that Naldi had been using a medical spray containing clostebol to treat a cut he sustained in early March. The spray was supplied by Sinner’s fitness coach, Umberto Ferrara, who bought it over the counter in Italy for personal use.

Despite being a qualified pharmacist and taking the lead on anti-doping matters, Ferrara passed the spray to Naldi without fully considering the implications. During a nine-day period, Naldi treated Sinner’s feet and provided massages without wearing gloves, leading to the inadvertent contamination.

The tribunal’s findings have placed immense scrutiny on Sinner’s support team, particularly Ferrara, who was aware that the spray contained a banned substance.

Ferrara claims he warned Naldi about the contents, a view supported by the tribunal, but Naldi has no recollection of the conversation and failed to check the product's ingredients himself. The tribunal accepted that Sinner had no knowledge of the contamination and ruled that he had been doing everything in his power to avoid doping violations, sparing him from a ban.

Cahill, who described Sinner as “the most professional young man I’ve ever worked with,” emphasised the toll this ordeal has taken on his protege.

"He got tonsillitis, which is the reason why he missed the Olympics. This situation is incredibly unfortunate, and it’s impacted him both physically and mentally."

The speed with which Sinner’s case was resolved has also raised eyebrows, given the drawn-out nature of other high-profile doping cases.

Former world number one Simona Halep waited over a year for a tribunal decision, while British player Tara Moore’s case dragged on for more than 18 months. Critics argue that the expedited resolution for Sinner may be a result of his status as a top player, a notion that 18-time Grand Slam champion Chris Evert echoed.

"They’re going to keep certain things secret if you’re a top player because they don’t want the press, the player doesn’t want the press," Evert said to BBC. "I do think there’s more protection there than if you were Joe Smith, ranked 400 in the world."

Sinner’s lawyer, Jamie Singer, strongly denied any claims of preferential treatment. "It’s perfectly reasonable to wonder that, but I think it’s actually the reverse," Singer told BBC Radio 5 Live. "Because he was such a superstar, the ITIA took it exceptionally seriously. But it was independent tribunals making those decisions."

As the US Open approaches, questions linger about the future of Sinner’s team. Cahill revealed that they are still deliberating whether Naldi and Ferrara should attend the tournament. After months of stress and scrutiny, Sinner will have to decide whether these relationships should continue in the long term.

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