The nomination of Jannik Sinner for the Laureus Sportsman of the Year award has been withdrawn due to his recent three-month doping ban, stemming from two positive tests nearly a year ago. Sean Fitzpatrick, chairman of the Laureus World Sports Academy, confirmed the decision in a statement, citing the ban as the reason for disqualifying Sinner’s nomination.
Fitzpatrick explained that the Academy took into account the details of the case and the decisions made by relevant global bodies. Although they acknowledged the circumstances surrounding Sinner’s situation, they concluded that the ban in effect made his nomination unviable. Accordingly, Sinner and his team have been informed of this outcome.
The settlement between Sinner and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was made public on February 15. WADA had initially aimed for a longer suspension for Sinner, seeking a ban of at least one year. This came after the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) decided not to penalise him following a determination that he had been inadvertently contaminated with a prohibited anabolic steroid last March.
Sinner had argued that the trace amounts of Clostebol found in his sample resulted from a massage given by a trainer who had used the substance after injuring his finger, a claim that was ultimately accepted by the authorities.
Fortunately for Sinner, the timing of the ban means he will not miss any Grand Slam events, including the upcoming French Open, set to start on May 25. Last year’s Laureus award was won by Novak Djokovic, while Spanish footballer Aitana Bonmatí was awarded the best sportswoman. Nominations for this year’s awards will be revealed in Madrid on Monday.