GENOA-. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has not yet decided whether to appeal the decision to exonerate the US Open champion Jannik Sinner for his positive steroid tests, and has another three weeks to do so.
WADA shared details of the appeal deadline with The Associated Press on Tuesday, showing that the World Anti-Doping Code, the global set of rules for international sport, gives the Montreal-based agency at least until the end of September to file an appeal in the Sinner case.
WADA and Nado Italia, Italy’s anti-doping agency, are the only two agencies that could challenge the decision of an independent tribunal announced by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) on August 20.
While anti-doping rules state that any other party with a right to appeal, such as Nado Italia, has 21 days to do so, WADA has a further 21 days before its own window closes.
Tuesday marks 21 days since the ruling by a three-judge panel in London was announced, but Nado Italia has yet to lodge an appeal.
However, it was not clear whether the initial 21-day deadline expired on Tuesday, as that window opens only after all parties receive the verdict and supporting documents, which can be at least a few days or more after the announcement, according to the tennis integrity agency.
“The deadline for lodging an appeal to the CAS shall be 21 days from the date of receipt of the reasoned decision in question by the appealing party,” says the regulations of the tennis integrity agency.
WADA then has another 21 days to file an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Sinner tested positive twice for an anabolic steroid in March but was ultimately not suspended because the ITIA determined he was not at fault. Sinner’s accepted explanation was that the banned performance enhancer entered his system unintentionally through a massage by his physiotherapist, who used a spray containing the steroid to treat his own severed finger.
The doping case was kept secret until last month’s announcement, and world number one Sinner beat Taylor Fritz in the US Open final on Sunday.
An appeal could jeopardize his US Open title, but Sinner and his legal team have provided detailed evidence that persuaded the ITIA and the tribunal judges that his explanation was credible.
