“Daria Kasatkina Exposes Shocking Double Standards in Jannik Sinner Doping Scandal!”
Daria Kasatkina has dismissed claims of double standards in the handling of Jannik Sinner’s doping case, instead suggesting that the Italian’s ability to afford top-tier legal representation was the key factor. The controversy began when it was revealed that world No. 1 Sinner had tested positive for Clostebol, a banned anabolic steroid, twice in March….
Daria Kasatkina has dismissed claims of double standards in the handling of Jannik Sinner’s doping case, instead suggesting that the Italian’s ability to afford top-tier legal representation was the key factor. The controversy began when it was revealed that world No. 1 Sinner had tested positive for Clostebol, a banned anabolic steroid, twice in March. Many questioned why he was not provisionally suspended during the investigation. According to the ITIA, the 23-year-old quickly identified how the banned substance entered his system and proved it was unintentional, thus avoiding suspension. However, this explanation did not quell the backlash, as some pointed to other players who had been suspended after testing positive but were later cleared to return.
In contrast, Sinner avoided both a provisional and long-term ban. This led to accusations that the ITIA and ATP had given him preferential treatment due to his status as the top-ranked player and face of men’s tennis. Critics like Nick Kyrgios called the situation “ridiculous” and demanded a ban, while Denis Shapovalov tweeted that different players seem to face “different rules.”
Despite the outcry, many accepted the ITIA’s explanation, including WTA world No. 12 Kasatkina. “Do I believe he’s innocent? Yes, I do,” she said during a conversation on the TNNS YouTube channel. “Double standards? No. Jannik can afford the best lawyers, and that’s his advantage. I have an Italian coach who has heard of similar cases we’re unaware of.”
Kasatkina also mentioned that she had heard of other Italian players—one male and one female—who had tested positive for the same banned substance. In the female player’s case, she couldn’t explain how the substance entered her system and was punished. The male player, like Sinner, was able to prove his case quickly and avoided suspension. Kasatkina raised the question of why multiple Italian players keep testing positive for the same substance, calling it “silly” that it continues to happen. In Sinner’s case, the banned substance was traced to an over-the-counter spray his former physio, Giacomo Naldi, used to treat a cut.
