Iga Swiatek revealed that she ‘cried for two weeks’ after receiving an email in November 2024 which informed her that she had failed a doping test a few months prior, calling the situation ‘terrible’ and ‘confusing.’
In late November 2024, it was announced that the six-time Grand Slam champion had accepted a one-month suspension by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) after testing positive for the banned substance, trimetazidine.
Swiatek was quick to explain that a batch of her non-prescription melatonin, which she used for jet lag and sleep issues, had been contaminated.
The ITIA concluded that the violation was ‘not intentional’ after ‘interviews with the player and their entourage, investigations, and analysis from two WADA-accredited laboratories.’
As a result, with the real reason unbeknownst to the public, Swiatek was forced to miss three tournaments, including WTA 1000 tournaments in both Beijing and Wuhan.
“It was pretty terrible,” admitted the Pole, recounting the experience on the Served with Andy Roddick podcast.
“I was in a photoshoot with a sponsor in Warsaw, and I was in the middle of it. We were just changing locations.
“I went on my email and I saw that an email from this portal, and I thought it was just a reminder of my whereabouts or something.
“I didn’t even read it because I started crying, and my agents who were at the shoot thought that someone had died.
“I gave my manager the phone and she read everything. They were, obviously, very confused because no one knows what to do in a situation like that.
“I called Maciej [Ryszczuk], my physical training coach, and we met during the shoot.
“I had no idea if I should even continue the shoot, my face was all red, I was crying for about 40 minutes, but then – on the other hand – I knew that I couldn’t really tell them about it. So I just continued for the next few hours.”
The reaction was likely further exacerbated after observing criticism made of ATP world No 1 Jannik Sinner, who had failed two separate doping tests in March 2024.
Tara Moore, another player who failed a test after claiming contamination, tweeted about Swiatek’s one-month suspension at the time: “I took 19 months off as I had to make a ‘change to my team’ too guys. Let’s not forget, mine was also contamination, and 2 other people also tested positive yet ITIA are appealing my case. Why is no one seriously looking into the corruption of the organisations that govern us?”
The Brit claimed that Colombian meat, which she had consumed, had been similarly contaminated, but was given a four-year suspension after being found to have insufficiently proved her explanation.
Latest WTA News
Emma Raducanu has major rankings chance at Canadian Open after ‘extremely difficult’ win
‘I wish I was more like Carlos Alcaraz’ – Iga Swiatek reveals why Spaniard is a ‘huge inspiration’
“We met in the evening with my whole team and the doctor, and we first called with a lawyer, I hired him over the phone basically, it was all very confusing,” continued Swiatek.
“Honestly, I was a total mess, I was basically joking, was being sarcastic, because I just had to do something to keep it together.
“When everything came out [publicly], I was basically crying for two weeks, couldn’t practice, because I felt that tennis did this to me and that I’m in this place because of tennis.
“I felt like I was losing my integrity, like no one is going to believe me that I didn’t do anything wrong and that the whole world would turn their backs on me and that every accomplishment that I had would start to disappear.
“We started testing all of my substances and medicines that I take, and did the research, but, for most of the days, I tried to block it out.
“I was meeting with my friends who didn’t have a clue what was going on. They saw that I was not injured and not playing, so they guessed that I might be in trouble.
“I noticed that there was PR fuss about players not being clear about what is going on with their fans, but, truth be told, if anyone were to say straight away with this kind of case without the data or proof that you did nothing wrong, we would all be finished and they would hate us.”
The Pole will return to the tour at the Canadian Open, opening her campaign against world No 33 Hanyu Guo.
The post Iga Swiatek opens up on failed doping test, branding it a ‘terrible’ and ‘confusing’ experience appeared first on Tennis365.
Leave a Reply