Five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek has said being given a one-month doping ban from the sport was the “worst experience of my life”.
The Polish player was ranked world number one when she provided a sample containing the angina medication trimetazidine in an out-of-competition test on 12 August.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) accepted the result was caused by contamination of the regulated non-prescription medication melatonin, manufactured and sold in Poland, which Swiatek took for jet lag and sleep issues.
Her level of fault was therefore considered to be at the lowest end of the range for “No Significant Fault or Negligence”.
Swiatek was provisionally suspended from 22 September until 4 October but the suspension was not made public.
Instead, the three tournaments the 23-year-old missed were attributed to personal matters and a change of coach.
The world number two will remain suspended until 4 December to make up the month, as well as forfeit her prize money for reaching the semi-finals of the Cincinnati Open, the tournament which directly followed the test.
‘Tremendous stress and anxiety’
She wrote on Instagram: “I’m finally allowed… so I instantly want to share with you something that became the worst experience of my life.
“In the last 2.5 months I was subject to strict ITIA proceedings, which confirmed my innocence.
“The only positive doping test in my career, showing unbelievably low level of a banned substance I’ve never heard about before, put everything I’ve worked so hard for my entire life into question.
“Both me and my team had to deal with tremendous stress and anxiety. Now everything has been carefully explained, and with a clean slate I can go back to what I love most. I know I will be stronger than ever.
“I’m leaving with you a long video and right now I’m just relieved it’s over. I want to be open with you, even though I know I did nothing wrong.”
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Drug central to other high-profile doping cases
The Women’s Tennis Association backed Swiatek, saying: “The WTA fully supports Iga during this difficult time.
“Iga has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to fair play and upholding the principles of clean sport, and this unfortunate incident highlights the challenges athletes face in navigating the use of medications and supplements.”
Trimetazidine has been central to several other high-profile doping cases, including 23 Chinese swimmers controversially cleared to compete and the Russian teenage figure skater Kamila Valieva testing positive for the substance.
