Iga Swiatek receives doping ban after positive test for banned substance trimetazidine

[Bartelby]

Getting the kid acclimatised to Wimbledon.

 

[Genie Of the Bank]

What is "enhancing drugs"? There are a lot of substances players, some from very young age, take. Djoker's addicted to plants, Zverev to reducing his diabetes, Rafa and some other players to stimulants that reduce allergies (for which you need the exemption from registered doctor). Take a note of the fact that Meldonium was also an allowed drug prior to that unfortunate AO when Sharapova got banned. You are right to point to Maria's guilt taking the drug but inconsiderate when degrading her how doped she was when playing a match. Scores of tennis players have conditions beyond our understanding. The stress of traveling huge distances away from their homes to varieties of places (climates, time zones) may take its toll on their well being of players whom we most ought to respect.

The problem is Djokovic and Nadal used some medication when they were seriously injured. Novak took painkillers for his damaged elbow and Nadal to numb the pain in his foot. Sharapova took the medication for years without any serious medical issue. It was obvious that her stamina is much lower without the taken drugs. The main issue for me is that men get roasted when they go for toilet break before the 5 set and the women are using all kinds off pills to last for just 3 sets . I very dislike when the big titles are won with the help of drugs and then they want to compare them to mens records.

 

[Bartelby]

You are speculating without evidence about Sharapova.

The problem is Djokovic and Nadal used some medication when they were seriously injured. Novak took painkillers for his damaged elbow and Nadal to numb the pain in his foot. Sharapova took the medication for years without any serious medical issue. It was obvious that her stamina is much lower without the taken drugs. The main issue for me is that men get roasted when they go for toilet break before the 5 set and the women are using all kinds off pills to last for just 3 sets . I very dislike when the big titles are won with the help of drugs and then they want to compare them to mens records.

 

[TennisBro]

The problem is Djokovic and Nadal used some medication when they were seriously injured. Novak took painkillers for his damaged elbow and Nadal to numb the pain in his foot. Sharapova took the medication for years without any serious medical issue. It was obvious that her stamina is much lower without the taken drugs. The main issue for me is that men get roasted when they go for toilet break before the 5 set and the women are using all kinds off pills to last for just 3 sets . I very dislike when the big titles are won with the help of drugs and then they want to compare them to mens records.

You are right that medications are an issue but inconsiderate to the complexity of the troubles some players may have. Players with allergies or female players with periods may greatly suffer at times. There are quite a few reasons why players on tour may be compromised. The modern science seems to be clashing from both of those sides in the tennis world now.

Reasons for Sharapova taking the drug that was perfectly legal for years till it wasn't is unknown to me and probably to many of us, although some will claim that she just wanted to get the competitive edge on the court. Nadal took a lot more than that medication for his numb foot for many years and he legally had the exemption doc from his doctor that apparently Serena Williams shared with him too. The players' health troubles, their intentions to gain competitive edge and the advanced science in the anti-doping agencies may be at a tipping point.

 

[Genie Of the Bank]

You are right that medications are an issue but inconsiderate to the complexity of the troubles some players may have. Players with allergies or female players with periods may greatly suffer at times. There are quite a few reasons why players on tour may be compromised. The modern science seems to be clashing from both of those sides in the tennis world now.

Reasons for Sharapova taking the drug that was perfectly legal for years till it wasn't is unknown to me and probably to many of us, although some will claim that she just wanted to get the competitive edge on the court. Nadal took a lot more than that medication for his numb foot for many years and he legally had the exemption doc from his doctor that apparently Serena Williams shared with him too. The players' health troubles, their intentions to gain competitive edge and the advanced science in the anti-doping agencies may be at a tipping point.

For me the real competitive women of the last 20 years were the Williams sisters and Justine Henin. All other were shouting stars .

 

[Genie Of the Bank]

You are speculating without evidence about Sharapova.

Each opinion to his one.

 

[Bartelby]

CAS concluded that the Moscow doctor she saw after the Wimbledon win suggested Meldonium as a part of a regimen of treatments to make her feel less run down and prone to colds and flus.

You are right that medications are an issue but inconsiderate to the complexity of the troubles some players may have. Players with allergies or female players with periods may greatly suffer at times. There are quite a few reasons why players on tour may be compromised. The modern science seems to be clashing from both of those sides in the tennis world now.

Reasons for Sharapova taking the drug that was perfectly legal for years till it wasn't is unknown to me and probably to many of us, although some will claim that she just wanted to get the competitive edge on the court. Nadal took a lot more than that medication for his numb foot for many years and he legally had the exemption doc from his doctor that apparently Serena Williams shared with him too. The players' health troubles, their intentions to gain competitive edge and the advanced science in the anti-doping agencies may be at a tipping point.

 

[the tennis oracle]

The ITIA final report raises more questions than answers and it turns out Iga used the same French lab/fixer as Halep. The whole thing stinks to high heaven and whatever the "official" story is, you can be sure the opposite is more likely to be true. Ban Iga, ban Sinner.

 

[Rovesciarete]

The ITIA final report raises more questions than answers and it turns out Iga used the same French lab/fixer as Halep. The whole thing stinks to high heaven and whatever the "official" story is, you can be sure the opposite is more likely to be true. Ban Iga, ban Sinner.

Brilliant logic, could you mention some of the question you said were raised?

 

[the tennis oracle]

Brilliant logic, could you mention some of the question you said were raised?

Just for starters,

How much did Iga pay Monsieur Alvarez for his special detection services?
Did Iga send the samples to both French labs simultaneously? Or did the first lab initially not detect any contamination so Iga had it sent to Monsieur Alvarez who detected it and then showed the first lab how to detect it using his 'special' methods, as in the Halep case.
Lekam's melatonin product is one of their most popular. How was the ITIA not able to procure a single bottle independently? And instead let the 'suspect' provide all the evidence?
Why weren't any other samples tested regardless of batch # just to let Lekam know they have a contamination/safety issue? Or is it only Iga that matters and screw any other Polish athletes who may be taking a contaminated product that could ruin their career and reputation?
Lekam claims they were contacted only once by an anonymous lawyer in the UK who asked them to send samples across national borders which Lekam claims is illegal. ITIA said they made multiple calls and emails to Lekam which went unanswered. Who's telling the truth? And the ITIA doesn't have a single contact in Poland or didn't think to hire a Polish lawyer who could have easily stopped by their factory and explained the situation with a national sporting hero and obtained samples?
Why hasn't Lekam recalled the potentially heart med tainted batch #s? Surely there are thousands of bottles in Poland with the same batch# that would be returned and could be tested.
Iga has been using melatonin since 2019 and used it just hours prior to testing but somehow forgot to list it? Just a bizarre coinkydink that it was the melatonin that was tainted?

 

[the tennis oracle]

... and when and how did Iga procure the 2nd sealed bottle of melatonin? Did she already have it in her possession when she was out-of-competition tested on Aug 12? If so, why didn't she have that one tested by the French labs as well to confirm contamination?

 

[Aussie Darcy]

It's just insane that it's the two players who were #1 in the world this year that happen to get tampered medicine. Just crazy.

Not De Minaur, not Pegula, not Rune, not Kasatkina, not Fritz, not Rybakina, not Rublev, not Gauff, not Dimitrov, not Navarro, not Humbert, not Kalinskaya, not Fils, not Collins, not Popyrin, not Kostyuk, not Tiafoe, not Vekic, not Fils, not Frech, not Shelton, not Tomljanovic, not Tabilo, not Noskova, not Thompson, not Boulter, not Badosa, not Hurkacz.

None of them get tampered medicine. Players from all around the world, even the same countries as these players. But it just happens that these two #1 players who were both at the peak of the sport, conveniently having tampered medicine.

 

[Kerouac]

Not defending her or anything, but it looks like Swiatek copied everything Halep did, yet she got one month while Halep initially got four years later reduced to 9 months. So I can understand why she's angry and ranting about unfair treatment. Also Swiatek changed her coach around the time of her silent ban, so looks like her team had prepared a fall guy in case they didn't buy her story. Just like Sinner did with the physio.

 

[Enceladus]

Young Czech tennis player Nicola Bartůňkova tested positive for the same substance as Swiatek this year and was given a six-month suspension. How is it that ITIA decided two cases with the same substance found differently, respectively a TOP female tennis player get away with it cheaply? Iga should not have been allowed to participate in the WTA Finals, the BJK Cup, or even the AO 2025!

Bartůňková stála půl roku, hvězda Šwiateková jen měsíc. Za stejnou látku padl jiný trest | Livesport.cz

Tenisový svět obletěla ve čtvrtek zpráva ohledně další dopingové kauzy. Světová dvojka Iga Šwiateková (23) měla v průběhu srpna pozitivní test na trimetazidin. Dostala měsíční stopku a musela vrátit prize money za turnaj v Cincinnati. Stejná látka byla nalezena i u české naděje Nikoly Bartůňkové...

www.livesport.cz

Translation:

The tennis world was hit by news of another doping case on Thursday. World number two Iga Swiatek (23) tested positive for trimetazidine in August. She was given a one-month suspension and had to return the prize money for the tournament in Cincinnati. The same substance was also found in Czech hope Nikola Bartůňková (18). However, she was not allowed to play or train for six months.

Former world number one Iga Swiatek was banned for one month for testing positive for the banned substance trimetazidine. The Polish player was suspended from September 12 to October 4 and missed three tournaments in China (this period is counted towards the one-month suspension). However, she officially withdrew from them due to personal reasons, exhaustion and changes in the coaching team. The case only became public yesterday.

Swiatek has eight days left to officially serve her sentence (until December 4). She also lost $159,000 (3.8 million crowns) in prize money for the Cincinnati tournament before which she tested positive.

"It was a huge blow for me, I was in shock. It scared me because at first I didn't know how this could have happened to me. The most important thing for me was to prove my innocence," said Swiatek about her case.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) accepted the Polish tennis player's explanation that she had taken the banned substance unintentionally during its investigation. This apology was not sufficient in the case of 18-year-old Czech player Nikola Bartůňková, who was found to have the same substance.

The former 226th-ranked player tested positive in February and March and has been banned from competing in any official international tournaments organised by the ITF or WTA since mid-April, nor from training under licensed coaches or playing with officially registered players.

After an investigation, Bartůňková announced that she had identified a contaminated dietary supplement as the source of the trimetazidine found in her sample. The findings were confirmed and the scenario was verified as plausible by an independent scientific expert. The ITIA thus acknowledged that the violation was not intentional and that the junior finalist at last year's Wimbledon bore "no significant fault or negligence".

"I did nothing wrong, I condemn doping. I am happy to be back and playing matches. It was a very difficult time. I am happy that we found the source of the contamination," Bartůňková said.

The final verdict was not published until November 11, 2024, in which ITIA, following the precedent in similar cases under the World Anti-Doping Code and taking into account the nature of the substance and the circumstances surrounding the player, proposed a six-month suspension for Bartůňková. The Czech player accepted this sanction and can now return to the courts. The publication of the case was also delayed for Swiatek, and paradoxically, the Polish player was able to play the WTA Finals and the BJK Cup while waiting for the final verdict.

 

[Rovesciarete]

Young Czech tennis player Nicola Bartůňkova tested positive for the same substance as Swiatek this year and was given a six-month suspension. How is it that ITIA decided two cases with the same substance found differently, respectively a TOP female tennis player get away with it cheaply? Iga should not have been allowed to participate in the WTA Finals, the BJK Cup, or even the AO 2025!

Supplements vs medications… seems unfair and I would agree.

After investigation, Bartunkova notified the ITIA on 27 October 2024 that they had identified a contaminated supplement as the source of the trimetazidine found in their sample. The ITIA subsequently instructed the independent and WADA-accredited Sports Medicine Research & Testing Laboratory (SMRTL) in Utah, USA, to test the supplement. These findings were confirmed, and the scenario was verified by an independent scientific expert as plausible.

As such, and following an interview with the player, the ITIA accepted that the violation was not intentional and that the player bore ‘No Significant Fault or Negligence’.

You can read it here. Yet-to-be-contaminated athletes all around the world might have to thank Sinner and Swiatek if WADA feels forced to establish threshold…

 

[nolefam_2024]

So swiatek sent both sealed and unpacked bottle of melatonin and they found contamination in both?

That should be ENOUGH to prove innocence.

We need to be very clear. Plausible deniability happens to be very good thing. You can't be allowed to create possible theories that will make athletes guilty.

Iga has provided enough plausible deniability. That's it. Plausible deniability.

 

[Rovesciarete]

Another case after Battaglino where neither the player nor the ITIA could get in contact with the source of the contamination. Fans should be furios that athletes get denied that basic access to information or a key actor. Didn’t hear much about that on this board, peddling conspiracies instead of defending the sport.

25. On 28 October 2024 (the day after the Player informed the ITIA that she believed she had
discovered the source of the TMZ), the ITIA requested that the Player send the remainder of the
Supplement (inside a sealed blister pack) to the WADA-accredited laboratory in Salt Lake City
(SMRTL) for analysis. On 8 November 2024, SMRTL reported that the Supplement contained TMZ
at an estimated concentration of 1,400 ng/capsule.

26. On the same day and subsequently, the ITIA contacted the manufacturer of the Supplement. The
manufacturer failed to respond to the ITIA despite numerous attempts.

27. The ITIA consulted Professor Peter Van Eenoo, Director of the WADA-accredited laboratory at the
University of Ghent in Belgium, who has previous experience in cases involving TMZ. Prof Van
Eenoo confirmed that the Player's explanation is scientifically plausible, i.e., the dosage and
ingestion schedule asserted by the Player is consistent with the Adverse Analytical Findings
reported for the samples collected on 28 February 2024 and 19 March 2024.

28. Given all the circumstances of this case, the ITIA accepts the Player has established that it is more
likely than not that the TMZ found in her urine samples 1316114 and 1347405 was due to the
presence of TMZ (an undisclosed contaminant) in capsules of the Supplement that she consumed
in the days prior to the collection of each sample

 

[JMR]

It's just insane that it's the two players who were #1 in the world this year that happen to get tampered medicine. Just crazy.
. . .
None of them get tampered medicine. Players from all around the world, even the same countries as these players. But it just happens that these two #1 players who were both at the peak of the sport, conveniently having tampered medicine.

Neither current case involves "tampered medicine." Tampering refers to the deliberate adulteration of a product with another substance, often a toxic one. E.g., the infamous Tylenol murders in the United States in 1982 (the tampering consisted of adding cyanide).

Sinner's case involves accidental exposure to a banned substance in an OTC product. No one tampered with the product. No one was alleged to have tampered with the product. It was exactly what it purported to be. The question remaining in the case is whether the route of exposure constituted personal negligence/fault on Sinner's part, or not.

Swiatek's case involves factory contamination. Regardless of how one regards the claim in her specific situation, the fact is that factory contamination is a fairly common phenomenon with medicinal products and especially with foodstuffs. It occurs because factories typically process many different products. E.g., unwanted allergens end up where they shouldn't be. Again, there does not appear to be any allegation of tampering here.

So, no tampering in either case. Moreover, the two players' defenses do not rely on the same explanation.

 

[Better_Call_Raul]

Swiatek's case involves factory contamination. Regardless of how one regards the claim in her specific situation, the fact is that factory contamination is a fairly common phenomenon with medicinal products and especially with foodstuffs. It occurs because factories typically process many different products. E.g., unwanted allergens end up where they shouldn't be. Again, there does not appear to be any allegation of tampering here.

Assuming Iga's claim is true, is this Polish manufacturer in the clear as long as they adhere to pharmaceutically safe standards for the general public?
Or are they possibly subject to liability because there were very minute levels that triggered a positive on Iga's doping test.

 

[JMR]

Assuming Iga's claim is true, is this Polish manufacturer in the clear as long as they adhere to pharmaceutically safe standards for the general public?
Or are they possibly subject to liability because there were very minute levels that triggered a positive on Iga's doping test.

I don't pretend to know the Polish national regulatory practices with respect to pharmaceuticals or dietary supplements.

In the United States, personal injury caused by consumption of a contaminated product can certainly lead to liability for those in the distribution chain. But failing a pro athlete's drug test is the type of "consequential damage" that might be characterized as not reasonably foreseeable. It would be a more complicated case.

 

[sureshs]

Solution here: https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/solution-to-doping-problems.778601/

 

[Drynio]

Assuming Iga's claim is true, is this Polish manufacturer in the clear as long as they adhere to pharmaceutically safe standards for the general public?
Or are they possibly subject to liability because there were very minute levels that triggered a positive on Iga's doping test.

A manufacturer is not obliged by law to produce drugs which do not trigger a failed test. If the contamination is within some safe limits specified in law (I do not know if these exist in the case of TMZ) then a manufacturer should be safe. You should not be liable for doing things which the law allows you to do, also the product is not advertised as being free from banned substances and safe for athletes. If it was, then Swiatek would have a case for sure.

 

[uscwang]

Young Czech tennis player Nicola Bartůňkova tested positive for the same substance as Swiatek this year and was given a six-month suspension. How is it that ITIA decided two cases with the same substance found differently, respectively a TOP female tennis player get away with it cheaply? Iga should not have been allowed to participate in the WTA Finals, the BJK Cup, or even the AO 2025!

Bartůňková stála půl roku, hvězda Šwiateková jen měsíc. Za stejnou látku padl jiný trest | Livesport.cz

Tenisový svět obletěla ve čtvrtek zpráva ohledně další dopingové kauzy. Světová dvojka Iga Šwiateková (23) měla v průběhu srpna pozitivní test na trimetazidin. Dostala měsíční stopku a musela vrátit prize money za turnaj v Cincinnati. Stejná látka byla nalezena i u české naděje Nikoly Bartůňkové...

www.livesport.cz

Translation:

A 2nd wrong-doing doesn't correct the 1st.

 

[insideguy]

This is so ridiculous man. I dont know exactly what the NFLs or MLBs policies are regarding PEDs and levels. But of all the people busted ive literally never heard anyone say oh it was contamination. We are going down a road right now we dont want to be going down.

And honestly pro tennis attempting to defend this crap by being like oh we are so open and transparent your just to dumb or didnt read all the fine print but its all cool, are going to lose fans man. You cant keep doing this. They are treating their fanbase like idiots. And hell maybe thats the way to go. We will see.

 

[robyrolfo]

For me the real competitive women of the last 20 years were the Williams sisters and Justine Henin. All other were shouting stars .

You think Serena was clean? We know she had a TUE, and we know she played to an age WAY beyond what most other women's players ever managed (in singles).

Steffi Graf was an amazing athlete with a very athletic build, and her body was broken down by age 30. There is no way Serena lasted almost 10 years longer without some serious pharmaceutical help.

 

[Better_Call_Raul]

A manufacturer is not obliged by law to produce drugs which do not trigger a failed test. If the contamination is within some safe limits specified in law (I do not know if these exist in the case of TMZ) then a manufacturer should be safe. You should not be liable for doing things which the law allows you to do, also the product is not advertised as being free from banned substances and safe for athletes. If it was, then Swiatek would have a case for sure.

Agree with this. A manufacturer should only be required to produce a safe product for the general public. Period. Not meet some silly low level doping threshold.

The ITF specifically warns players that supplements can be contaminated and that players are strictly liable for testing positive on supplements.

In Italy, some manufacturers even issue a warning label as a courtesy that many dunderhead athletes continue to ignore.
(This does not apply to the Sinner case as the young Sinner claims he never directly applied this cream.)

Johaug fick salvan med dopningsvarningen

Göteborg. Therese Johaug tog emot salvan med Trofodermin från sin läkare med den dopningsmärkta kartongen. Det bekräftar skidåkarens advokat.

www.dn.se

 

[Bartelby]

Sinner indirectly applied the product due to his own agents so he can't escape liability. He should have supervised his agents before they came in contact with his skin.

Agree with this. A manufacturer should only be required to produce a safe product for the general public. Period. Not meet some silly low level doping threshold.

The ITF specifically warns players that supplements can be contaminated and that players are strictly liable for testing positive on supplements.

In Italy, some products even have doping warnings that many dunderhead athletes continue to ignore. (This does not apply to the Sinner case as Sinner claims he never directly applied this product.)

Johaug fick salvan med dopningsvarningen

Göteborg. Therese Johaug tog emot salvan med Trofodermin från sin läkare med den dopningsmärkta kartongen. Det bekräftar skidåkarens advokat.

www.dn.se

 

[Tennis Devolution]

Just read the article you have quoted carefully and you might understand:



Hints:

a) What did Iga ingest?

b) Did Sinner ingest something?

You are falsely assuming that the alibis of iga swiatek and jannik sinner are true.

 

[Rovesciarete]

You are falsely assuming that the alibis of iga swiatek and jannik sinner are true.

‘Falsely’? Do you have any proof against the reconstructions deemed plausible by the relevant experts or just wild fancies?

 

[Arak]

Agree with this. A manufacturer should only be required to produce a safe product for the general public. Period. Not meet some silly low level doping threshold.

The ITF specifically warns players that supplements can be contaminated and that players are strictly liable for testing positive on supplements.

In Italy, some manufacturers even issue a warning label as a courtesy that many dunderhead athletes continue to ignore.
(This does not apply to the Sinner case as the young Sinner claims he never directly applied this cream.)

Johaug fick salvan med dopningsvarningen

Göteborg. Therese Johaug tog emot salvan med Trofodermin från sin läkare med den dopningsmärkta kartongen. Det bekräftar skidåkarens advokat.

www.dn.se

Dunderhead athletes do not ignore the doping warming text, they use it to their advantage once caught. Oh, we didn’t see the warming, sorry! Before Sinner, 3 other Italian players gave exactly the same excuse using the exact same product. I think it’s about time they get more creative and find another product as the Clostebol thing has been used and abused plenty.

 

[Tennis Devolution]

‘Falsely’? Do you have any proof against the reconstructions deemed plausible by the relevant experts or just wild fancies?

Subjective eyewitness testimonies from jannik sinner and iga swiatek are not examples of scientific objective measurable proof that sinner and swiatek were not intentionally doping even if the eyewitness testimony appears to "match" the measurable evidence. We simply cannot truly know the intentions of jannik sinner and iga swiatek on anything.

 

[Genie Of the Bank]

You think Serena was clean? We know she had a TUE, and we know she played to an age WAY beyond what most other women's players ever managed (in singles).

Steffi Graf was an amazing athlete with a very athletic build, and her body was broken down by age 30. There is no way Serena lasted almost 10 years longer without some serious pharmaceutical help.

Venus was my favorite, about Serena it was maybe suspicious because of the tester incident. Steffi was great but her main rival Seles was literary stabbed in the back.

 

[robyrolfo]

Venus was my favorite, about Serena it was maybe suspicious because of the tester incident. Steffi was great but her main rival Seles was literary stabbed in the back.

I prefer Venus to Serena as well, but she also had a TUE and played until a very late age (heck, technically she is still a player). But I think with Venus it was strictly about substances that helped her recover quicker and/or stay fit at a later age. Her body never "developed" the way Serena's did (which was similar to the body developments of Sammy Sosa, Mark McGuire and Barry Bonds), so I don't put Venus and Serena in the same category.

As for Graf, not sure what the Seles incident has to do with anything. Perhaps she would have won fewer slams? We will never know, but the fact remains she won as many as she did while retiring at age 30, which is just incredible.

 

[DSH]

Iga Swiatek, the women’s world No. 2 tennis player, has received a one-month doping ban after testing positive for the prohibited substance trimetazidine (TMZ).

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) issued the one-month ban on Thursday after ruling that the player’s level of fault was at the lowest end of the range for ‘No Significant Fault or Negligence’ and not intentional.

Story.

It's a disgrace, an scandal, a outrage!

 

[Mustard]

I prefer Venus to Serena as well, but she also had a TUE and played until a very late age (heck, technically she is still a player). But I think with Venus it was strictly about substances that helped her recover quicker and/or stay fit at a later age. Her body never "developed" the way Serena's did (which was similar to the body developments of Sammy Sosa, Mark McGuire and Barry Bonds), so I don't put Venus and Serena in the same category.

As for Graf, not sure what the Seles incident has to do with anything. Perhaps she would have won fewer slams? We will never know, but the fact remains she won as many as she did while retiring at age 30, which is just incredible.

Seles was, if anything, improving her game still further in late 1992 and early 1993, especially the serve. Seles is stabbed by a Graf fan who said that his motive was for Graf to return to number 1, and then Graf wins 4 majors in a row with Seles not there.

 

[jmnk]

let me address using publicly available documents.

Just for starters,

How much did Iga pay Monsieur Alvarez for his special detection services?

no idea. most likely a lot. Whatever was needed to retain his services. but the 'detection services' were not special as ITIA lab reproduced the findings.

Did Iga send the samples to both French labs simultaneously? Or did the first lab initially not detect any contamination so Iga had it sent to Monsieur Alvarez who detected it and then showed the first lab how to detect it using his 'special' methods, as in the Halep case.

ITIA docs on Swiatek case do not mention 'French lab' or Dr Alvarez. The contamination of the medicine, both of the open and sealed container, was confirmed via testing at ITIA accredited lab in Montreal. Moreover, the tablets showed more contamination 'inside' vs on the surface further strengthening the case the tablets were contaminated during production.

Lekam's melatonin product is one of their most popular. How was the ITIA not able to procure a single bottle independently? And instead let the 'suspect' provide all the evidence?

It's not the case of procuring a single bottle. For it to matter it had to be a bottle from the same series (i.e. date). Which is not that easy.

Why weren't any other samples tested regardless of batch # just to let Lekam know they have a contamination/safety issue? Or is it only Iga that matters and screw any other Polish athletes who may be taking a contaminated product that could ruin their career and reputation?

Other samples were not tested by ITIA because it is irrelevant to the case. The Lekam factory is being investigated and tested by Polish authorities. So far it appears that even though no one denies that some level of contamination may have happened, or is happening, it is no where near the level that would be health safety issue. Neither Lekam, nor any other medicine producing factory, claims that their products contain absolute zero contamination. They are only bound to make sure certain levels are not crossed. those 'certain level' are well above what doping testing can detect. Nothing to see here.

Lekam claims they were contacted only once by an anonymous lawyer in the UK who asked them to send samples across national borders which Lekam claims is illegal. ITIA said they made multiple calls and emails to Lekam which went unanswered. Who's telling the truth? And the ITIA doesn't have a single contact in Poland or didn't think to hire a Polish lawyer who could have easily stopped by their factory and explained the situation with a national sporting hero and obtained samples?

good question. When ITIA states 'they' made the calls/sent emails it does not however necessarily mean they did it themselves. It is perfectly reasonable to expect that some Law firm did it on their behalf. Perhaps that Law firm purposely did not identify itself as 'on behalf on ITIA' to eliminate any potential conspiracy. but a good question indeed.

Why hasn't Lekam recalled the potentially heart med tainted batch #s? Surely there are thousands of bottles in Poland with the same batch# that would be returned and could be tested.

see above. the contamination level is nowhere close to being any health risk. And not exceeding any regulatory levels.

Iga has been using melatonin since 2019 and used it just hours prior to testing but somehow forgot to list it? Just a bizarre coinkydink that it was the melatonin that was tainted?

so if that was to be the excuse all along - that melatonin was contaminated - wouldn't it make _more_ sense to list it?

 

[Arak]

Seles was, if anything, improving her game still further in late 1992 and early 1993, especially the serve. Seles is stabbed by a Graf fan who said that his motive was for Graf to return to number 1, and then Graf wins 4 majors in a row with Seles not there.

Correct, but Graf had absolutely nothing to do with it. This incident has been mentioned here often, and always with allusions to Graf’s guilt as if she asked the guy to stab Seles.

 

[Genie Of the Bank]

I prefer Venus to Serena as well, but she also had a TUE and played until a very late age (heck, technically she is still a player). But I think with Venus it was strictly about substances that helped her recover quicker and/or stay fit at a later age. Her body never "developed" the way Serena's did (which was similar to the body developments of Sammy Sosa, Mark McGuire and Barry Bonds), so I don't put Venus and Serena in the same category.

As for Graf, not sure what the Seles incident has to do with anything. Perhaps she would have won fewer slams? We will never know, but the fact remains she won as many as she did while retiring at age 30, which is just incredible.

Most of above I agree except Seles. If the stabbing didn't occurred Monica would probably have the career similar to Nadal (very dominant on clay, excellent on other surfaces). Something in a range of 14-16 majors at least.

For that reason I'm glad that Novak won the Goat race despite banning him for 2 hard courts majors and canceling Wimbledon where he was defending champion.
Say no to drugs is Djokovic moto.

 

[robyrolfo]

Seles was, if anything, improving her game still further in late 1992 and early 1993, especially the serve. Seles is stabbed by a Graf fan who said that his motive was for Graf to return to number 1, and then Graf wins 4 majors in a row with Seles not there.

But this is pure speculation. I just don't understand why everyone is constantly mentioning this "what if?" when it comes to Graf's career. I mean, it happened, so we can never really know what would have happened otherwise.

The fact remains that Graf won a ton of slams by the age of 30. Way more than any of the men or women with over 20 slams (I don't know about Margaret Court, but whatever). Plus she did the Golden Slam, which has yet to be equaled by anyone.

Serena had just 13 slams at that age, which tells you all you need to know. If people are going to constantly hold the Seles incident against Graf, they also have to be honest and admit Graf won so much with such a short career.

Correct, but Graf had absolutely nothing to do with it. This incident has been mentioned here often, and always with allusions to Graf’s guilt as if she asked the guy to stab Seles.

Exactly. I don't understand why people hold it against her as if she wanted it to happen.

Most of above I agree except Seles. If the stabbing didn't occurred Monica would probably have the career similar to Nadal (very dominant on clay, excellent on other surfaces). Something in a range of 14-16 majors at least.

As for Seles, the only thing I'm not sure about is how she would have developed physically. A lot of women's players peak very young, because that is when they are at their fittest for tennis, so there is no guarantee her career trajectory would have been THAT much different without the stabbing.

 

[Mustard]

But this is pure speculation. I just don't understand why everyone is constantly mentioning this "what if?" when it comes to Graf's career. I mean, it happened, so we can never really know what would have happened otherwise.

Happened because a Graf fan, with deliberate intent to restore Graf to number 1, took Seles out. Imagine Federer being stabbed in 2006 or 2007, and being a top 5 but never top 2 player once he returned.

 

[THUNDERVOLLEY]

But this is pure speculation. I just don't understand why everyone is constantly mentioning this "what if?" when it comes to Graf's career. I mean, it happened, so we can never really know what would have happened otherwise.

Some despise Graf for the "crime" of being naturally superior to Seles.

As for Seles, the only thing I'm not sure about is how she would have developed physically. A lot of women's players peak very young, because that is when they are at their fittest for tennis, so there is no guarantee her career trajectory would have been THAT much different without the stabbing.

Certain "fans" constantly play this "what if?" game regarding Seles, as if she--in the actual words of some of her fans--was on her way to being a GOAT player, when there's no evidence to support that fantasy. Seles was no true threat or great player at Wimbledon, as she--at the unquestioned peak of her career--was utterly defeated like some junior at the hands of Graf. Again, that was Seles during the oft-recognized peak of her career/game. No excuses.

 

[SonnyT]

Slap on the wrist! There's no slam at this time, no serious tennis is played. A fine should be at least for half of 2025!

How more severe was Halep's offense?

 

[jmnk]

Slap on the wrist! There's no slam at this time, no serious tennis is played. A fine should be at least for half of 2025!

How more severe was Halep's offense?

well, let's take a look at that:

Halep: claimed contaminated _supplement_
Swiatek: claimed contaminated _medicine_

Halep: it was first time she took such supplement. Should have exercised extra extra caution
Swiatek: was taking that same medicine since forever. Never a problem before.

Halep: independent ITIA lab could not find the contamination in the supplement Halep provided.
Swiatek: independent ITIA lab confirmed the contamination in the medicine Swiatek provided.

Halep: the level of prohibited substance detected in the urine sample was way higher than could have been explained via contamination.
Swiatek: the level of prohibited substance detected in the urine sample was in line with contamination explanation.

Halep: in addition to the positive urine test there have also been irregularities in biological passport suggesting continuous use
Swiatek: provide hair samples that ruled out any prior use of prohibited substance.

 

[robyrolfo]

Happened because a Graf fan, with deliberate intent to restore Graf to number 1, took Seles out. Imagine Federer being stabbed in 2006 or 2007, and being a top 5 but never top 2 player once he returned.

Ok, but you simply cannot blame a player for the actions of one of their fans. It's impossible.

Likewise, speculating on how Seles' career would have progressed is almost impossible. So many players, especially on the women's side, showed great potential at a young age, and even achieved great results, only to stop developing and eventually slide backwards. We simply cannot know what would have happened with Seles, and we really can't speculate on how it would have affected Graf's career.

Some despise Graf for the "crime" of being naturally superior to Seles.

Certain "fans" constantly play this "what if?" game regarding Seles, as if she--in the actual words of some of her fans--was on her way to being a GOAT player, when there's no evidence to support that fantasy. Seles was no true threat or great player at Wimbledon, as she--at the unquestioned peak of her career--was utterly defeated like some junior at the hands of Graf. Again, that was Seles during the oft-recognized peak of her career/game. No excuses.

Agree completely, as stated above. Some people go so deep with their fantasies about what would have happened without the stabbing, but they are just that: fantasies and ideas.

 

[Genie Of the Bank]

But this is pure speculation. I just don't understand why everyone is constantly mentioning this "what if?" when it comes to Graf's career. I mean, it happened, so we can never really know what would have happened otherwise.

The fact remains that Graf won a ton of slams by the age of 30. Way more than any of the men or women with over 20 slams (I don't know about Margaret Court, but whatever). Plus she did the Golden Slam, which has yet to be equaled by anyone.

Serena had just 13 slams at that age, which tells you all you need to know. If people are going to constantly hold the Seles incident against Graf, they also have to be honest and admit Graf won so much with such a short career.


Exactly. I don't understand why people hold it against her as if she wanted it to happen.


As for Seles, the only thing I'm not sure about is how she would have developed physically. A lot of women's players peak very young, because that is when they are at their fittest for tennis, so there is no guarantee her career trajectory would have been THAT much different without the stabbing.

Steffi was great but noway she would win 20 + slams if Monica wasn't stabbed. Compared that with men with Nadal getting out of the picture at the age of 20 and Djokovic would have win at least 3 more RG titles and 2 US Opens .

For me the women tennis is in a low quality for big rivalries for the last decade at the lest . No hope for near future .

 

[robyrolfo]

Steffi was great but noway she would win 20 + slams if Monica wasn't stabbed. Compared that with men with Nadal getting out of the picture at the age of 20 and Djokovic would have win at least 3 more RG titles and 2 US Opens .

For me the women tennis is in a low quality for big rivalries for the last decade at the lest . No hope for near future .

I'm not going to compare women's tennis to men's, because that is a separate discussion in and of itself.

And while Monica Seles might have grabbed a few slams from Graf if the stabbing didn't happen, you would also have to imagine how many Graf would win if she played at her peak level until age 35+, which we have seen all of the recent greats do thanks to modern medicine and/or training (Novak, Rafa, Rodger, Serena...) You could easily see Steffi taking another handful of slams at least.

(And yes, I agree that the current state of the Women's game is really bad right now. No big rivalries, and the "top" players just trying to overpower people)

 

[Mustard]

(And yes, I agree that the current state of the Women's game is really bad right now. No big rivalries, and the "top" players just trying to overpower people)

In the late 1990s, it was the other way round, i.e. the women's game was full of consistent rivalries and rallies, the men's game dominated by big serving and short rallies (especially on certain surfaces) and lacking consistent rivalries. I can remember Borg publicly criticizing the lack of rivalries in men's tennis at the time, and Lendl saying that he preferred watching women's tennis because there were more longer rallies.

 

[Pmasterfunk]

Frankly I don't understand why there isn't a traveling ATP/WTA pharmacy at least at the 250 level to cover at least most of the regular needs of the players and their stuff.

Didn’t they used to? Like in the Rusedski “tainted supplements” case.

 

[No_Kwan_Do]

Moral of the story : Don't be stupid enough to buy over the counter medication as a professional athlete.

If your multi-million dollar pro career depends on it, you buy whatever you can from approved WTA/ATP sources and vendors, and if you need something they don't have from a street pharmacy, you just go without. Murray went his entire career without buying a single over the counter medication, I'm sure the rest can do it as well.

 

[nolefam_2024]

Moral of the story : Don't be stupid enough to buy over the counter medication as a professional athlete.

If your multi-million dollar pro career depends on it, you buy whatever you can from approved WTA/ATP sources and vendors, and if you need something they don't have from a street pharmacy, you just go without. Murray went his entire career without buying a single over the counter medication, I'm sure the rest can do it as well.

I think even Iga hits bigger FH than Andy.