Jannik Sinner’s Laureus Sportsman of the Year Nomination Withdrawn Following Doping Suspension

The nomination of Jannik Sinner for the Laureus Sportsman of the Year award has been officially withdrawn due to the top-ranked tennis player’s three-month suspension following two positive doping tests that occurred nearly a year ago.

Sean Fitzpatrick, chairman of the Laureus World Sports Academy, released a statement explaining that the Italian athlete’s ban, which arose from a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), led to this decision.

“After discussions within the Laureus Academy, we have decided to withdraw Jannik Sinner’s nomination for this year’s Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award,” Fitzpatrick stated. “We have monitored this case closely and considered the decisions of the relevant global bodies. While we acknowledge the circumstances surrounding the situation, we believe that the three-month ban makes the nomination ineligible. Jannik and his team have been informed accordingly.”

Sinner and WADA announced the settlement on February 15.

The WADA had initially attempted to impose a ban of at least one year on the three-time grand slam champion, contesting a decision made by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) last year, which did not suspend Sinner, deeming that his positive test resulted from accidental contamination with a banned anabolic steroid last March.

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Sinner’s defence, which stated that trace amounts of Clostebol in his doping sample were due to a massage from a trainer who had used the substance after injuring his finger, was accepted.

Fortunately, the timing of the ban means that the 23-year-old Italian will not miss any grand slam tournaments, with the next major, the French Open, set to commence on May 25.

Last year, Novak Djokovic was awarded the Laureus Sportsman of the Year for 2023, while Spanish footballer Aitana Bonmatí was honoured as the best sportswoman.

The nominees for the upcoming awards will be announced in Madrid on Monday.