Iga Swiatek accepts one-month ban after testing positive for trimetazidine | Iga Swiatek

Iga Swiatek, the world No. 2 tennis player, was suspended for a month after testing positive for the banned substance trimetazidine (TMZ) in August 2024.

In a statement Thursday, the International Tennis Integrity Agency, which governs the anti-doping program in tennis, ruled that Swiatek’s anti-doping rule violation was not willful and that she did not show material fault or negligence for the positive test on ” “bottom end” of the area” and they imposed a one month ban.

The ITIA accepted that Swiatek’s positive doping test was due to her contaminated drug melatonin, which Swiatek had taken for jet lag and sleep problems.

Swiatek tested positive for TMZ in an out-of-competition urine sample taken on August 12, 2024 and received an interim suspension for three weeks between September 12 and October 4. Swiatek withdrew from three tournaments during this period – the Korea Open, China Open and Wuhan Open – for personal reasons;

After her three-week absence, Swiatek successfully appealed her interim suspension and she returned to the final two tournaments of the season, the WTA Finals and the Billie Jean King Cup.

In recent years, Swiatek has established herself as the most successful tennis player of her generation. The 23-year-old Pole has won five Grand Slam titles, including four of the last five titles at Roland Garros, and has been No. 1 for 125 weeks, including most of the 2024 season.

In a statement, ITIA chief executive Karen Moorhouse said: “After identifying the source of the TMZ, it became clear that this was a highly unusual case of a contaminated product, which is a regulated medicine in Poland.”

“However, the product does not have the same name worldwide, and the fact that a product is a regulated drug in one country may not be enough to avoid errors of any kind.” Taking into account the type of drug and all Under certain circumstances, this error is classified at the lowest end of the scale.

“This case is an important reminder to tennis players of the strict liability nature of the World Anti-Doping Code and the importance of players carefully considering the use of nutritional supplements and medications.” It is vital that appropriate Due diligence is conducted to minimize the risk of unintentional ADRVs such as this.

The Women’s Tennis Association, meanwhile, noted the results of Swiatek’s anti-doping case and offered its support to Swiatek: “The WTA fully supports Iga during this difficult time. Iga has always demonstrated a strong commitment to fair play and upholding the principles of clean sport, and this unfortunate incident highlights the challenges athletes face in managing the use of medication and supplements.

“The WTA remains steadfast in its support of clean sport and the rigorous processes that protect the integrity of competition. We also emphasize that athletes must take every precaution to verify the safety and compliance of any products they use, as even accidental exposure to banned substances can have significant consequences.”

Swiatek’s anti-doping case is the second high-profile case in tennis in the last four months, after men’s No. 1 Jannik Sinner received a no-fault or negligence verdict and no suspension in August after testing positive for the banned substance Clostebol was tested in March.