Jannik Sinner on Thursday had his nomination for the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award withdrawn after he was handed a three-month doping ban, Afrosport reports.
Sinner twice tested positive for traces of the banned anabolic steroid clobestol last March and the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) discovered that the Italian had been accidentally contaminated with the drug by his physiotherapist Giacomo Naldi.
The world No. 1, who admitted “partial responsibility” for the failed drug tests, accepted an immediate three-month ban from tennis earlier this month after an agreement was reached with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
“Following discussions by the Laureus Academy, it has been decided that Jannik Sinner’s nomination for this year’s Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award is to be withdrawn,” Laureus World Sports Academy chairman Sean Fitzpatrick said.
“We have followed this case, the decisions of the relevant global bodies and – whilst we note the extenuating circumstances involved – feel that the three-month ban renders the nomination ineligible.
“Jannik and his team have been informed.”
The 23-year-old is suspended until 4 May, providing him the opportunity to compete in the French Open, the second Grand Slam event of the year, where he got to the semi-final last year.
The three-time Grand Slam champion, who won the Australian Open in January, will not follow in the footsteps of Novak Djokovic, as the Serbian won the Sportsman of the Year award for a record fifth time.
The nominees for the Laureus World Sports Awards, selected by a panel of journalists and broadcasters, will be announced on 3 March.
