Novak Djokovic expressed his desire for a swift resolution to world number one Jannik Sinner’s ongoing doing case, while criticising the inconsistencies within tennis’s anti-doping system, Afrosport reports.
Sinner tested positive for banned substances in March but was cleared of any wrongdoing by tennis authorities, allowing him to continue competing.
However, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has appealed the decision, seeking a ban of up to two years for the Italian.
Speaking at the Shanghai Masters on Wednesday, Djokovic, a former world number one, acknowledged the difficulty of Sinner’s situation but voiced concerns about the overall structure of tennis’s anti-doping protocols.
“I think it’s quite obvious that we have a system that is not working well… There’s way too many inconsistencies, way too many governing bodies involved and, you know, just this whole case is not helping our sport at all,” Djokovic said per Flashcore.com.
“Whatever is going to happen at the end of the day, just I wish for it to be resolved as soon as possible.”
Djokovic had earlier remarked that he understood the frustrations of players questioning whether Sinner’s high ranking had influenced the initial decision to clear him.
Now, with WADA appealing, the case has sparked further debate within the tennis community.
Sinner has yet to respond publicly to WADA’s appeal, and it remains unclear when the final decision on the case will be made.