MADRID — On Monday, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) clarified why Jannik Sinner, the top-ranked tennis player, received a significantly shorter doping suspension compared to the six-year ban imposed on Spanish figure skater Laura Barquero, who also faced a doping violation involving the same substance. The substance in question is Clostebol, an anabolic steroid, which has recently fueled discussions in Spanish media regarding the disparities in penalties handed down in these two cases.
The contrast between the two penalties has sparked criticism, particularly from Sinner’s peers on the tennis circuit. WADA explained that while the substance involved was identical in both cases, the circumstances surrounding Barquero’s situation were markedly different from Sinner’s. The agency stated that Barquero’s account of how the substance entered her system lacked credibility when evaluated against the evidence provided, leaving WADA unsure about the specifics of her case. Conversely, WADA noted that Sinner’s evidence convincingly corroborated his account as described in the initial decision regarding the matter.
Barquero’s troubles began when she tested positive for Clostebol at the 2022 Winter Olympics and again during an out-of-competition test in January 2023, conducted by the International Skating Union (ISU). Consequently, WADA and ISU entered into a “case resolution agreement,” which resulted in a six-year suspension for Barquero. WADA emphasized that Barquero had the option to contest the proposed sanction and could have brought her case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) but chose not to.
WADA initially aimed to impose a suspension of at least one year on Sinner, contesting a prior decision from the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) that did not ban Sinner, as they concluded he had been a victim of accidental contamination last March. Ultimately, WADA withdrew its appeal after finding Sinner’s explanation satisfactory—the trace amounts of Clostebol in his sample were attributed to the use of a massage product by a trainer who had cut his finger.
Following the decisions, Barquero took to her social media to express her frustration, highlighting the inconsistencies between her sentence and that of Sinner. She released a video detailing how her six-year ban has profoundly impacted her life, stating, “It’s a disproportionate sanction that meant the end of my career. I believe it serves as a clear example of the failures of the system.” Barquero acknowledged the unfairness of the rules and accepted her suspension to allow her to move forward.
The 23-year-old explained that the Clostebol found in her system was due to contamination from a commonplace wound cream purchased over the counter in Italy, which was never intended to enhance athletic performance. “I had the misfortune of accidentally contaminating myself,” she remarked, emphasizing that she could not have known that touching an object or another person who had used such a cream could result in a positive doping test.
