No2 seed Iga Swiatek has been cleared to continue her quest for a first Australian Open title after the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) ruled out pushing for a longer ban.
Swiatek, 23, served a one-month ban last year after the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) accepted that her positive test for trimetazidine was a result of contamination.
Wada appealed against the ITIA’s handling of men’s world No1 Jannik Sinner’s case at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) but has decided against doing the same over Swiatek.
“Wada’s scientific experts have confirmed that the specific contaminated melatonin scenario, as presented by the athlete and accepted by the ITIA, is plausible and that there would be no scientific grounds to challenge it at Cas,” the global agency said.
“Further, Wada sought advice from external legal counsel, who considered that the athlete’s contamination explanation was well evidenced, that the ITIA decision was compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code, and that there was no reasonable basis to appeal it to the Cas.”
Five-time Grand Slam winner Swiatek is into the quarter-finals of the Australian Open after beating German lucky loser Eva Lys 6-0 6-1 on Monday.
The Pole will meet American eighth seed Emma Navarro next as she bids to go beyond the last four at Melbourne Park for the first time in her career.
Swiatek was provisionally suspended from 22 September until 4 October but that was not made public. She then served an additional eight days to 4 December to make up the month.
By contrast, Wada has challenged the ITIA’s decision to accept that Sinner’s positive test for the anabolic steroid clostebol in March was down to accidental contamination.
Wada has asked for the Italian, who won the US Open title shortly after the test was made public, to be banned for between one and two years. Cas is due to hear the case in April.
