Five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek described her recent doping suspension as a “horror and nightmare” while emphasizing her determination to prove her innocence. Swiatek, 23, tested positive for trace amounts of Trimetazidine (TMZ) in an out-of-competition sample taken on August 12.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced on November 28 that the violation was unintentional, attributing the positive test to contamination in a regulated melatonin product she used for jet lag and sleep issues. Swiatek accepted a one-month suspension, retroactively served, allowing her to compete again by December 4, reports Xinhua.
“My reaction was very intense—confusion, panic, a lot of crying,” Swiatek told Polish media. “It felt like something terrible had happened to my health or career.”
Also Read: “Rohit Sharma plays like he`s relaxing with a cup of coffee”: Hayden
The Pole revealed she spent significant resources — $70,000 on legal fees and €15,000 on expert tests — to clear her name. “The most important thing was to prove my innocence,” she said. Swiatek expressed relief that the ordeal ended swiftly. “I can start the new season with a clean slate and focus on playing,” she concluded.
The ITIA has accepted that the prohibited substance was because of a contaminated regulated medication, which results in a “No Significant Fault or Negligence finding”, thus handing a one-month suspension.
“The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) today confirms that Iga Swiatek, a 23-year-old tennis player from Poland, has accepted a one-month suspension under the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme, after testing positive for the prohibited substance trimetazidine (TMZ) in an out-of-competition sample in August 2024,” the ITIA informed.
An investigation by ITIA has determined that the source for the presence of the banned substance was a “contaminated regulated medication”. The ITIA probe said the test “results in no significant fault or negligence finding and thus handed a one-month suspension”, the statement said.
This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
