Serb questions the fairness of the sanctioning system in professional tennis

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Djokovic criticises Sinner sanction and inequalities in handling of anti-doping cases

Novak Djokovic has expressed his displeasure over the case of Jannik Sinner, who has accepted a three-month suspension for testing positive for clostebol in March. According to Djokovic, many players are upset with how this case has been handled, considering that top players seem to receive preferential treatment in terms of legal defence and available resources. At his post-match press conference in Doha, Djokovic stressed that top players, such as Sinner or Swiatek, have an advantage in influencing the outcome of their cases.

The Serb compared Sinner's case to those of Simona Halep and Tara Moore, who faced lengthy suspension periods and struggled for months to resolve their cases. According to Djokovic, this disparity highlights a system that is not working properly, with lower-level players being subjected to harsher sanctions without having the same resources as the most prominent players on the circuit.

As for Sinner, Djokovic pointed out that the three-month suspension was a measure taken due to mistakes by his team, whih he considers strange, as the sanction does not seem to be related to the player himself, but to the responsibility of his entourage. ‘These decisions are unfair and reflect a lack of consistency in the treatment of doping cases in professional tennis,’ he said.

He also referred to the impact that such situations have on players' confidence in the sanctioning system. As one of the most prominent players on the circuit, he made it clear that such decisions not only affect those directly involved, but also the integrity of the sport as a whole. The Serb concluded his speech by expressing his frustration with a system that appears to be favourable to the most prominent players, and warned that how such cases are handled in the future needs to be reconsidered.