Five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek has accepted a one-month suspension after testing positive for the banned substance trimetazidine, a heart medication known as TMZ, as announced by the International Tennis Integrity Agency on Thursday.
Swiatek failed an out-of-competition drug test in August, with the ITIA accepting her explanation that the result was unintentional. The positive test was attributed to the contamination of a nonprescription medication, melatonin, which Swiatek was taking for jet lag and sleeping issues.
The ITIA determined that Swiatek's level of fault was at the lowest end of the range for no significant fault or negligence.
This incident marks the second recent high-profile doping case in tennis, following the case of top-ranked player Jannik Sinner, who was cleared of a steroid violation in August after failing two tests in March.
Swiatek, a 23-year-old from Poland, was ranked No. 1 for most of the past two seasons but currently holds the No. 2 spot. She claimed her fifth major championship by winning the French Open in June and secured a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics in early August.
Trimetazidine (TMZ) has been at the center of controversy before, notably in a case involving 23 Chinese swimmers who tested positive for performance enhancers in 2021 but remained eligible.
Swiatek formally admitted the anti-doping rule violation on Wednesday and accepted the one-month suspension. She had already served a provisional suspension from Sept. 22 to Oct. 4, missing three tournaments during the post-U.S. Open hard-court swing in Asia.
Following her appeal, it was confirmed that her positive test was due to contaminated melatonin. As part of the agreement, Swiatek will serve the remaining eight days of her suspension now, with her eligibility to return to play reinstated as of Dec. 4.
In addition to the suspension, Swiatek was fined the prize money of $158,944 that she earned for reaching the semifinals of the Cincinnati Open in August, the event immediately following the positive test.
ITIA CEO Karen Moorhouse emphasized the importance of adhering to anti-doping regulations and carefully considering the use of supplements and medications in light of this case.
This incident serves as a reminder to tennis players about the strict liability nature of the World Anti-Doping Code and the consequences of inadvertent violations.
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