Iga Swiatek’s doping controversy refuses to die down. The former World Number 1 tested positive for a banned substance, trimetazidine in August and accepted a 1-month ban in this regard. The Polish star was let off with a lenient punishment after the levels of the banned substance were found to be in extremely small quantities. However, at the same time, there were questions about her being let off with just a month’s ban and not facing a hefty punishment after testing positive. Earlier today, a new interview was released in which renowned Czech coach Vladislav Savrda slammed the double standards by the ITIA in the ruling of Iga Swiatek.

While the reigning French Open champion escaped with a 1-month ban, Simona Halep faced a massive ban of four years for doping. Although reduced to 9 months eventually, Halep faced a lengthy period on the sidelines. Taking cues from that case, Savrda feels that Swiatek was given preferential treatment by the ITIA.

“It’s an absolute scandal. I think the International Tennis Integrity Agency should be renamed the International Tennis Protection Agency,” Savrda began, per the portal idnes.cz (as quoted in a December 2nd interview of the Polish publication, Sport PL). “It cost Nikola the entire season, her family a lot of money, nerves and sleepless nights. It also caused a drop in the ranking, which she will not regain,” he added, and then went on to criticize the agency’s investigation into Świątek’s case.

For the unversed, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), in mid November, announced a six-month suspension for Czech tennis player Nikola Bartunkova due to a positive test for the prohibited substance trimetazidine in February and March 2024. The ITIA confirmed that Nikola Bartunkova’s positive tests for trimetazidine were due to a contaminated supplement. The investigation found no intentional wrongdoing on her part. As a result, she received a six-month suspension, with time served.

On Swiatek’s case, Savrda further added, “They have a positive sample from August, then they publish a report, which is basically concealing information from the public. They will say that she has personal problems and will set a sentence so that she can finish the season. Then she missed the tournaments in China due to so-called personal problems and that was the end of it.”

Further, he went on to add, “At least it would be right to measure with the same yardstick, regardless of whether it is the first player in the ranking or the 500th. If they control it so massively and all players have to inform where to turn to them about doping control, then they should also measure with the same yardstick and not try to hide cases that do not suit them.”

While there was much talk against her, Swiatek maintained her innocence in this matter. Taking to social media, she confessed, “In the last 2½ months, I was subject to strict ITIA proceedings, which confirmed my innocence. The only positive doping test in my career, showing unbelievably low level of a banned substance I’ve never heard about before, put everything I’ve worked so hard for my entire life into question.”

Further, there has been a lot of talk in the tennis circle about Swiatek’s doping case. While some have backed Swiatek, others questioned about how she escaped with just a month’s ban. However, American star Taylor Fritz had a unique take in this regard.

Taylor Fritz makes a candid confession in the doping case of Iga Swiatek

All the attention has been on Iga Swiatek after news about her doping case came to light. Swiatek missed the Asian Swing, the Korea Open, China Open and Wuhan Open, as a result of her ban. Although the Polish star accepted the 1-month ban, many critics called for a harsher sentence for Swiatek. However, Fritz came to Swiatek’s rescue, asking them to give her a break.

Taking to social media, he wrote, “What drives me CRAZY about these situations (in terms of going on X) is not the actual cases themselves. It’s tough to know exactly what happened/all the details in all of these specific instances, so the speculation talk isn’t really my favorite thing to do. If it’s a rival of the player you support that tests positive then you are on team ‘let’s call them a doper/cheater/disgrace them as much as possible,’ and if it’s your fav player that it’s about then it’s ‘innocent no questions asked.”

Amid the doping controversy, Swiatek failed to finish her season on a high. She will aim to put the doping controversy behind her as she gears to make a strong comeback next year.

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