‘Positive Doping Killed Me’- Jannik Sinner’s Unjust Treatment Raises String of Emotions for Ex-ATP Pro as He Relives Daunting Time

Different players, different rules? “Can’t imagine what every other player that got banned for contaminated substances is feeling right now” – this was Denis Shapovalov’s initial reaction to Jannik Sinner’s doping saga. Seeing Sinner taking part in multiple events has raised quite a few eyebrows. Nick Kyrgios has emerged as the most vocal figure on this topic. Even Britain’s Liam Broady highlighted how players have to wait for months or years for their innocence to be declared. Is Sinner really getting preferential treatment? Well, different minds have different opinions. The one who has been in this situation before might perhaps have the right answer to this question.

After almost 23 years of the doping case which almost ruined Argentina’s Guillermo Coria’s career shared his thoughts on Sinner’s doping saga. Although Coria was later proven innocent, this incident had a substantial impact on his life. Sharing his thoughts on that incident and comparing it with Jannik Sinner’s situation during an interview with the CLAY, he said, “I feel I didn’t get the same treatment as him.”

Coria tested positive for nandrolone in April 2001. According to various reports, he said the substance entered his system through a contaminated vitamin supplement.

While sharing his thoughts on the dark phases of his life, Guillermo Coria revealed, that during the hearing in 2007 at the New Brunswick courthouse in the US, the judge told him, “Good luck to you.” Years after that controversial incident, Coria said, “The positive doping killed me, I was in my prime, then I came back with hatred.”  

The current captain of the Argentine Davis team continued, “I spent my savings to bring a team of psychologists from Spain to treat me and show my personality, I also hired a lie detector in the United States, I had a genetic study that showed through my hair what you consumed, I showed how the drug entered my body, through a vitamin complex, which was not to take advantage, but when I arrived at the trial in Miami, my mind was already made up.” Although Coria came closer to clinching Grand Slam titles twice in his career after the 2001 incident, he never got the taste of a major title.

Interestingly, Jannik Sinner was recognized as having no desire to dope and was allowed to continue playing. On the other hand, Coria had doped accidentally. However, he was banned for 2 years which later got reduced to seven months. Although the Argentine tried his best to make a strong comeback after facing that setback, he states that phase was a “difficult period” in his life. “The only thing I ask is that the treatment be equal for everyone,” said the Argentinian pro. Just a few days ago, American tennis legend Andy Roddick debunked the claims of preferential treatment in Jannik Sinner’s case. What did he say, though?

Andy Roddick shares his thoughts on Jannik Sinner getting ‘preferential treatment’

Amid all the claims of Jannik Sinner receiving special treatment for being the world’s number one, Andy Roddick shared his thoughts on this topic. He clarified his stance on the topic and revealed why he thought Sinner’s case was different from others. According to Roddick, Sinner figured out the actual cause of the problem within 48 hours of that incident. Perhaps this might have saved the Italian from incurring a lengthy ban.

According to him, problems arise when players don’t know where the problem arose from. Moreover, the guilty party needs more time and can’t afford an army of lawyers quickly. Players have to submit a formal document with full confidence. This is what their cases are going to be based on. “Jannik Sinner did that, which is why people are saying ‘he got special treatment,” said Roddick.

Amidst all the discourse on the topic, Nick Kyrgios, however, hasn’t stopped criticizing Jannik Sinner. Recently, renowned tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg tweeted that CAS has confirmed that WADA’s appeal of the doping case was underway. Kyrgios who has been against the ITIA’s verdict, commented on that post saying, “Why’s he (Sinner) still playing lol?” So, the noise surrounding this topic isn’t ending any sooner. The tennis world can brace itself for several comments and reactions coming in Jannik Sinner’s doping saga in the next few months. Do you think Sinner received ‘special treatment’ in this case?