Five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek has accepted a one-month suspension imposed by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) after testing positive for a banned substance, Afrosport reports.
The world number two tested positive for trimetazidine (TMZ), a heart medication, following an out-of-competition test back in August, while she was atop the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) rankings.
Swiatek was. however, given a soft landing after the ITIA acknowledged that the failed test was because of contamination of the regulated non-prescription medication melatonin, manufactured and sold in Poland, which she took for jet lag and sleep-related issues.
The 23-year-old’s offence was ruled to be at the tail end of the range for ‘No Significant Fault or Negligence’, and the reigning French Open champion took to social media on Thursday to make the announcement.
“In the last two-and-a-half months I was subject to strict ITIA proceedings, which confirmed my innocence,” she said on Instagram.
“The only positive doping test in my career, showing unbelievably low level of a banned substance, I’ve never heard about before, put everything I’ve worked so hard for my entire life into question.
“Both me and my team had to deal with tremendous stress and anxiety. Now everything has been carefully explained, and with a clean slate I can go back to what I love most.”
Swiatek, who recently missed three tournaments, was provisionally suspended from 12 September before her successful appeal.
The Pole appealed the provisional suspension 10 days after the initial sanction, notifying an independent tribunal that the positive test had been traced to a contaminated medicine manufactured in her home country.
A further test confirmed Swiatek’s story, and the ITIA offered her a one-month suspension, which she accepted on Wednesday.
The ITIA reportedly did not disclose her provisional suspension because the player successfully appealed within 10 days of the notice.
Swiatek’s period of ineligibility will end on Wednesday, 4 December, after her provisional suspension was lifted on 4 October.
She was also forced to forfeit the prize money from her semi-final outing at the Cincinnati Open, the tournament that directly succeeded the test.
“I admit this situation hit me hard because all my life I strived to have a career that could be an example for generations to come,” continued Swiatek.
“I have a sense this situation could undermine the image I’ve been building for years, which is why I hope you will understand I had no control over it and could do nothing to prevent this unfortunate turn of events.
“Without my supporters I am not sure I would have been able to find the strength to carry on and keep fighting. Now I have fought the toughest battle in my life, and I hope you will stay with me and keep supporting me.”
ITIA chief executive Karen Moorhouse said: “Once the source of the TMZ had been established, it became clear that this was a highly unusual instance of a contaminated product, which in Poland is a regulated medicine.
“However, the product does not have the same designation globally, and the fact that a product is a regulated medication in one country cannot of itself be sufficient to avoid any level of fault. Taking into account the nature of the medication, and all the circumstances, it does place that fault at the lowest end of the scale.”
The WTA also acknowledged the ITIA decision in a statement and offered its “full support” to Swiatek during a “difficult time”.
“Iga has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to fair play and upholding the principles of clean sport, and this unfortunate incident highlights the challenges athletes face in navigating the use of medications and supplements,” the WTA said.
“The WTA remains steadfast in our support for a clean sport and the rigorous processes that protect the integrity of competition.
“We also emphasise that athletes must take every precaution to verify the safety and compliance of all products they use, as even unintentional exposure to prohibited substances can have significant consequences.”
Swiatek, who clinched her fourth French Open title this year and also got her hands on titles in Doha, Indian Wells, Madrid and Rome, missed the Korea Open (16-22 September), China Open (25 September – 6 October) and Wuhan Open (7-13 October), the latter due to her suspension during the entry deadline).
