Building trust in anti-doping procedures is now a key priority for the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), as highlighted in its latest annual review. The review comes after several high-profile cases in 2024 raised serious doubts regarding the transparency and consistency of anti-doping measures in tennis. These concerns have been further fueled by the handling of cases involving top players such as Jannik Sinner, Iga Świątek, and Simona Halep, leading to widespread criticism of the governing body’s processes.

Jannik Sinner, the world’s number one male tennis player from Italy, found himself in the center of a controversy after accepting a three-month ban in February 2024. This decision came after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) appealed against an independent tribunal’s decision to clear him following a positive doping test. Similarly, Poland’s five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Świątek also faced a suspension, accepting a one-month ban after testing positive for a banned substance, trimidine.

Świątek claimed that the substance was unknowingly ingested due to contamination from her sleep medication. Both of these cases were resolved quickly, with the players agreeing to the penalties. However, the swiftness with which these cases were handled and the leniency shown to these prominent athletes raised alarms about possible inconsistencies and double standards in the system.

Compounding the situation, former world number one Simona Halep of Romania criticized the lengthy delays in the resolution of her own case, in which she had been suspended after testing positive for a banned substance in 2022. Halep’s criticism highlighted an ongoing frustration with the perceived lack of fairness and speed in resolving doping violations in tennis, contrasting the quick resolution of cases involving major stars like Sinner and Świątek. The differing treatments of these cases have only fueled doubts about the reliability of the anti-doping process in the sport.

Karen Morouse, CEO of the ITIA, acknowledged in the review that the 2024 cases had raised significant questions about the integrity of the anti-doping procedures in tennis. She emphasized that both the ITIA and its partners are committed to addressing these concerns. Morouse expressed the agency’s determination to deepen the understanding of its work within the sport and to rebuild trust among players and stakeholders. However, as she pointed out, the complex nature of the anti-doping system requires continued collaboration with tennis’s governing bodies and players to ensure a transparent and fair approach to doping control.

The criticism from prominent players has not been limited to just the cases of Sinner and Świątek. Novak Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam champion, has also raised concerns about the lack of consistency in anti-doping rules. He pointed out the problems with transparency and the uneven enforcement of the rules. In a similar vein, Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios described the treatment of Świątek and Sinner as “disgusting” for the sport, echoing the sentiment that the cases were not handled properly and that tennis needed a more coherent and reliable anti-doping system.

The Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA), an organization representing professional players, has taken legal action against the ITIA and the sport’s governing bodies. In March 2024, the PTPA filed a lawsuit accusing the ITIA of violating players’ privacy rights through random drug tests, further highlighting the discomfort some players feel with the current anti-doping measures. This legal battle underlines the ongoing tension between the players and the authorities over the management of anti-doping rules and procedures.

In response to these challenges, the ITIA’s annual review also reported a 26% increase in the number of anti-doping tests carried out in 2024 compared to the previous year, with a total of 9,151 tests conducted. The ITIA emphasized that educating players about anti-doping rules, particularly the risks associated with contaminated supplements, is a major part of their strategy moving forward. The agency has identified contaminated supplements as a significant issue, with 30% of anti-doping rule violations over the past 15 years being attributed to them. This has created a need for further education and support for both players and their teams to mitigate the risk of unintentional doping violations.

Nicole Sapstead, the ITIA’s Senior Director of Anti-Doping, stated that the organization remains committed to ensuring the majority of players who compete clean are protected. She also emphasized that most cases involving anti-doping violations in tennis stem from unintentional doping.

As for Sinner, who won his third Grand Slam title at the 2025 Australian Open, he remains embroiled in controversy after testing positive for a banned anabolic agent at the Indian Wells and Miami tournaments in 2024. Sinner maintains that the substance entered his system due to a member of his support team during sports therapy and massage. His suspension will end on May 4, 2025.

As the debate surrounding anti-doping in tennis continues to intensify, the ITIA faces significant challenges in restoring credibility and transparency in its operations. The agency must navigate these contentious issues carefully, balancing the need for fairness with the realities of the complex, global anti-doping landscape. With players’ trust in the system increasingly eroded, the ITIA must not only address these high-profile cases but also ensure that its processes are consistent, transparent, and fair for all players, regardless of their status in the sport.