The world’s number 1 tennis honcho, Jannik Sinner, tested positive on incubating the performance enhancing drug clostebol on two occasions at Indian Wells during March, the ATP went all hush hush, eye to eye, on the results to keep the lid on from going public. Sinner blamed one’s masseur for applying the cream to a Sinner injury. It has to be stated that the clostebol is a substance for quick healing on injuries and helps the athlete to train harder of a steroid base, it can also aid muscle growth and recovery. The top echelons of the tennis world there is a fine dividing line between success and failure, doubts have to be raised on the Sinner explanation, blame the masseur or the normalised quote from suspected drug cheats “I was not aware of the banned substance”. Into the courtside courtship with players being given mystery multi-coloured liquids and tablets to be disguised as salts, it all has to be questioned but not by the ATP, the players back up network looking to give their player that extra yardage during match play? A prohibited substance list is sent to all player teams, but do they choose to ignore and take a chance?

The former world number 1 Novak Djokovic, refused to provide a sample with the drug testers arriving unannounced before a match, with Novak representing his country Serbia Nov 2023. The Serb was within his rights to refuse the test under the crazed ATP rule book, who later claimed that Djokovic did not refuse the test, which was squashed by the Novak quote “This is the first time this has happened to me. It doesn’t make sense, there’s nothing to hide.” The Manero response, any athlete would jump at the chance to prove they’re clean, so the Djokovic refusal does not make sense, or does it? To cloud the gathering doubts further, the entire Serbian team refused a drugs test. The Serbs were not banned, with their integrity intact? Not the case. The Manero has previously questioned Djokovic’s authenticity link to article Jan 5 2024 ‘League 2 and the Novak Djokovic’, of the opinion that there is a wider drug problem in tennis being supressed. Sinner for his part was docked 400 ranking points and fined 190,000 pounds sterling, this slaps in the face of two high profile women players who were banned from the sport for failed drugs tests. Is preferential treatment being given to Sinner and Djokovic? To have these two players banned would see the houses of the slams that houses the tennis world crumble.

Maria Sharapova became the first high ranked player of substance to throw in the pun to test positive in January 2016 during the Australian Open for the banned substance meldonium which enhances endurance, Sharapova at the time was struggling to ellipse the hated theme match up v Serena Williams, looking for that extra edge? It appeared that Sharapova had been dodging a bullet for a period of time until the D testers arrived, knock, knock Maria it’s time, oh my God. Sharapova, a 5 time Grand Slam winner was a surly character who was not universally liked on the tour and was an easy target for the tennis authorities to hang out, make an example and to send a message to both tennis tour fraternities, break the code and banned you will be, but not in the Sinner, Djokovic judgements.

Sharapova received a two year ban, reduced to fifteen months on appeal, Maria returned to the court to try and rekindle former glories, but became a shadow of her former self, perhaps the missing meldonium was the missing component? From Russia with love on the meldonium to the Romanian Simona Halep, who six years after the Sharapova headline grabber zoned out on the banned substance Roxadustat, during the 2022 US slam open, again known for endurance purposes, like Sharapova Halep protested her innocence, but that’s the case for them all. Of recent times in the cycling world, Lance Armstrong was caught with his pants down, I cannot protest my innocence any my lord, I am guilty as that headline grabber ‘sinned’.

Halep was handed a four year ban, but was successful on appeal at the court of arbitration in Switzerland during March of this year. A near on two year ban will impact severely on the player’s career, can Halep revive her career? It’s a warning too to the players, don’t meddle just peddle a clean boat, but do they listen? A punt? The rewards can be high. The ‘you cannot be serious’ by serious man John McEnroe admitted to sniffing the Persils (cocaine) at the end of one’s career, that was the pits John. During the 1990’s the eight time Grand Slam winner Andre Agassi admitted to taking crystal meth during the men’s tour. Should Agassi and McEnroe be stripped of their titles? Should this be the punishment to all drug cheats? To turn a blind eye is the preferred choice of the tennis authorities, some would suggest, ‘sinned’.

The Manero Response on X

@chestermanero
Of course no doubt Sinner is all of the good characteristics mentioned, but the positive test will remain in the public’s laundry and cannot be thrown away like a used napkin.

@chestermanero
Sinner will be offered protection from the ATP, the number 1 player cannot afford a stigma ban to damage the game’s integrity beyond repair for many years to recover.

The final takeaway to issue no ban is the better option for the ATP.