The tennis world was rocked by Iga Swiatek‘s recent doping controversy. While she offered an emotional response, players like Nick Kyrgios were quick to criticize, sparking heated debate. Further, the ITIA was accused of both tardiness in disclosing the information, as seen in the case of Jannik Sinner, and leniency in the imposed suspension. Many experts and former players have alleged that the ITIA applies double standards to different competitors. Amidst the controversy, Diana Shnaider also weighed in with a scathing assessment of the broader doping issue.

Dmitry Svishchev, the chairman of the Russian State Duma Committee on Physical Culture and Sports, made references to the case of Kamila Valieva, an 18-year-old Russian figure skater who faced a four-year disqualification and stripped of her 2022 Olympic gold medal for testing positive for the same prohibited substance as the current world No. 1.“Świątek’s situation should not have escaped us. We can clearly see how players are treated for the same offenses. (…) The cases are similar, but the effects are extremely different,” thundered Svishchev. Later, Diana was asked to comment on the matter.

Diana Shnaider, in her one of the press conferences, quoted by championat.com, offered a subtle yet firm take: “These are different sports, and I don’t think it’s right to combine them. They are completely different things. In my opinion, there’s nothing to talk about.”

Swiatek tested positive for a prohibited substance, Trimetazidine(TMZ), a medicine used to treat angina, a type of chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to the heart, leading to a month-long suspension. Swiatek missed many crucial Asian tournaments, including those in Seoul, Beijing, and Wuhan, citing “personal matters” at the time. The missed matches contributed to her losing her WTA ranking lead. However, she proved her innocence by showing that the substance came from the contaminated melatonin she was taking.

Swiatek later addressed her recent suspension and the controversy surrounding it. “The most important thing for me was to prove my innocence,” Świątek said, adding, “I was given a symbolic suspension, which lasts a month. I have already completed 22 days, and I still have eight ahead of me.” The ban will officially end on December 4th.

Like Svishchev, a WTA star, Simona Halep, highlighted the differential treatment in her and Swiatek’s case.

Simona Halep criticizes ITIA over double standards amid Iga Swiatek’s doping scenario

WTA star Simona Halep also expressed strong disapproval of how the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) handled her doping case compared to Iga Swiatek’s. The former Wimbledon and French Open champion, is currently serving a four-year suspension after testing positive for Roxadustat, a banned substance, during the 2022 US Open. Questioning the fairness and consistency of ITIA’s decisions on Instagram, Halep wrote,

“I sit and try to understand, but it is really impossible for me to understand something like this. I sit and wonder, why such a big difference in treatment and judgment?” She added, “I can’t find, and I don’t think there can be a logical answer. It can only be bad will on the part of ITIA, the organisation that did absolutely everything to destroy me despite the evidence.”

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Świątek will now enter a period of rest and preparation for the upcoming season, commencing with the Australian Open in 2025. Prior to the Grand Slam, she is scheduled to participate in the World Tennis League and the United Cup, with the objective of regaining the top ranking on the WTA Tour.