Iga Świątek, ATP's no. 2, tests positive for banned substance

Iga Świątek, Polish tennis player and current ATP no. 2, has tested positive of TMZ (trimetazidine), a prohibited substance. The positive was found in an out-of-competition sample last August, and since then has been subject to the ITIA proceedings.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) accepted Świątek declared innocence, finding that the positive was caused by a contamination of another non-prescribed medication that player took because of sleeping issues and jet lag, which in Poland is a regulated medicine.

The 25-year-old player, winner of 5 Grand Slams and a Bronze medal in Paris last summer, described it as "the worst experience of my life" in an Instagram post.

"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".

Świątek is glad now everything has been explained and has a clean state. "I want to be open with you, even though I know I did nothing wrong. Out of respect for my fans and the public, I'm sharing all the details of this longest and toughest tournament of my career. My biggest hope is that you will stay with me".

After being found innocent, she has received the lowest sanction: a month without playing, that encompass retroactively the weeks she spent provisionally sanctioned last September, so most of her sanction has been covered already.

Iga Świątek's case has some similarities with Sinner's one

The case has similarities to the positive on Jannik Sinner, current men's no. 1, also found innocent of doping during Indian Wells this year: the verdict was that is was unintentional, but some players doubted the proceedings.

"This case is an important reminder for tennis players of the strict liability nature of the World Anti-Doping Code and the importance of players carefully considering the use of supplements and medications", said the ITIA in a statement.