Jessica Pegula did not need to accuse Iga Swiatek of something and famous that the Pole’s clarification “made sense” but in addition admitted that she has sure questions over how sure doping circumstances are dealt with.
After the five-time Grand Slam champion’s pattern from August got here again as constructive for trimetazidine (TMZ), the Pole was handed a provisional suspension on September twelfth. Nevertheless, the ITIA did not announce it on the time so it was a silent ban.
Within the subsequent few weeks, Swiatek was in a position to decide and show that her constructive doping check was a results of her melatonin tablets being contaminated. The lab evaluation and extra exams proved that all the pieces was according to what the Pole was saying so her provisional suspension was ended.
Finally, the world No. 2 accepted a symbolic one-month ban – which formally ended on December 4th.
“I don’t know, it looks as if they investigated it and she or he had her reasoning. I imply you must belief that they’re doing their job—that they’re coming to the correct conclusion,” Pegula mentioned when talking to reporters in New York this week.
Pegula wonders one factor
When Jannik Sinner failed two doping exams in March, nobody knew about it and nobody had an concept that he was dealing with an investigation. In August, the ITIA introduced the information and in addition mentioned that the ATP world No. 1 wouldn’t get suspended after he proved that he “bore no fault or negligence” for what occurred. Then, the ITIA additionally dealt with the Swiatek case in silence.
Up to now, there have been additionally another circumstances when a participant would fail a doping check over a contaminated product however would get an even bigger suspension. That is one factor that also baffles Pegula, though she was supplied sure explanations.
“I believe it’s simply irritating for individuals on the surface—and even for some gamers—that it simply appears so hit and miss with how individuals get punished. I’ve been defined why it occurs. However on the identical time it’s like ‘Yeah, however how does this differ so deeply?’ And I believe that may be irritating. However the way it was defined to me, it appears fairly reduce and dried virtually. And the reason made sense,” the 2024 US Open runner-up added.
Pegula: Swiatek nonetheless received sanctioned…
Simply earlier than the Pole was knowledgeable a few constructive doping check, she was making ready to kick off her Asian swing in Seoul in a few days. However these plans have been reduce brief attributable to her provisional suspension as she ended up lacking Seoul and in addition back-to-back WTA 1000 tournaments in Beijing and Wuhan.
Whereas Swiatek was out of motion, Aryna Sabalenka performed excellent and overthrew the 23-year-old from the world No. 1 spot.
Trying from that perspective, the Polish tennis star paid a sure value for failing a doping check. However on the opposite aspect, she was fortunate sufficient to finish her one-month suspension through the preseason – which suggests she is going to have the ability to begin her 2025 season in time.
“You’re sort of questioning how that works while you’re not competing the way it doesn’t appear to have an effect on something so it’s actually not a lot of a punishment. However I imply she did miss the Asian swing and that additionally might have damage her probabilities for the year-end No. 1, which is clearly large for her. Cash-wise and sponsors and with the ability to have that No. 1 spot damage too. So I’m positive she didn’t need to miss these,” Pegula mentioned.
In the meantime in her personal assertion that got here after the ITIA’s, Swiatek mentioned she was “shocked” and did not even know what TMZ was.
“I used to be shocked and this entire state of affairs made me very anxious. At first I couldn’t perceive how that was even doable and the place it had come from. It seems testing revealed traditionally lowest ranges of trimetazidine, a substance I’ve by no means heard about earlier than. I don’t assume I even knew it existed. I’ve by no means encountered it, nor did individuals round me,” the Pole mentioned in an Instagram video.
Additionally, Swiatek claimed solely small traces of the substance have been present in her system.
“The exams confirmed that melatonin [which] I’ve been utilizing for a very long time – the batch I had on me and had used earlier than Cincinnati – was contaminated throughout manufacturing. It was a shock to listen to, however it additionally defined rather a lot, and finding the supply is vital in these circumstances, which is why after discovering out, we needed to show that the treatment was in actual fact contaminated,” she added.
In that very same video, Swiatek pleaded to followers to just accept her clarification and do not change their opinions about her.
