The Albany Gazette - Swiatek has 'closure' after WADA says won't appeal in doping case

The world number two, currently in action at the Australian Open, late last year accepted a one-month ban after testing positive for a banned substance.

The 23-year-old Pole had pulled out of the WTA's Asian swing in September-October citing "personal matters".

Only later was it revealed that she had been absent because of a one-month ban for testing positive for the banned heart drug trimetazidine (TMZ).

She has consistently denied knowingly doping, saying it came from contaminated non-prescription medication to help her sleep.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) had accepted Swiatek's contamination explanation.

WADA on Monday said it would not appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) over the matter.

It made the decision after "a thorough review" found that the "contaminated melatonin scenario, as presented by the athlete and accepted by the ITIA, is plausible", it said.

After sweeping into the Australian Open quarter-finals, Swiatek said: "I'm just satisfied that I can get a closure, kind of, and I can just move on and finish this whole process.

She added: "Now for sure, I just want to put this behind me because I have already been on tour for quite a few weeks, and it's all been good."

WADA has appealed to CAS in the case of Jannik Sinner and is seeking to ban the men's world number one for up to two years.

He also denies knowingly doping after twice testing positive for a banned steroid in March.

The Italian, who is also in the last eight in Melbourne, was cleared by the ITIA last year to carry on playing.

It accepted his explanation the steroid clostebol entered his system when his physio used a spray containing it for a cut on his own hand, then treated the player.

WADA however appealed and Sinner will have his hearing at CAS on April 16-17.

bur-/pst/pi

(T.Brown--TAG)