American tennis legend Andy Roddick has come to the defense of Iga Swiatek, stating that he does not consider her positive doping test to be a “doping case,” but rather an unfortunate situation. Last Thursday, it was revealed that one of Swiatek’s samples collected in August tested positive for trimetazidine (TMZ). Following an investigation, the world No. 2 concluded that the positive result stemmed from contamination of non-prescribed melatonin pills she had been taking to address sleep and jet lag issues.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) accepted Swiatek’s explanation, lifting her provisional suspension after 22 days. On November 27, she accepted a one-month ban, having already served 22 days of that suspension. However, some critics, similar to those in the case of Jannik Sinner, expressed skepticism about her explanation, leading to conspiracy theories and accusations of double standards.
In response to the backlash, Roddick addressed the situation on his podcast, emphasizing that there is no justification for blaming Swiatek. “I can’t call it doping. It’s like taking melatonin for jet lag at 2:30 in the morning in Cincinnati. Think about how many things had to go wrong for Iga to test positive for something contaminated,” he said. Roddick highlighted Swiatek’s negative tests at the Paris Olympics and in New York, underscoring that this incident is not indicative of a pattern.
Roddick lamented the negative headlines surrounding the case, stating, “It just sucks. The dumbest people in our sports will say, ‘Ah, doping!’ I’ve taken melatonin before. Who’s to say ours weren’t contaminated?” He criticized the focus on minuscule traces of banned substances and emphasized that Swiatek’s situation is a reflection of unfortunate circumstances rather than intentional wrongdoing.
The ITIA clarified that Swiatek’s positive test was due to contamination from a regulated non-prescription melatonin product manufactured in Poland. After thorough investigations, including interviews and analyses from two WADA-accredited laboratories, the ITIA determined that Swiatek did not intend to violate doping regulations and classified her level of fault as “at the lowest range” of No Significant Fault or Negligence.
In a video message on Instagram, Swiatek expressed her shock upon learning of the positive test, stating, “I was shocked, and this whole situation made me very anxious. I had never heard of trimetazidine before.” She described the ordeal as “the toughest battle of her life,” noting the stress and uncertainty regarding her career.
Looking ahead, Swiatek is set to begin her 2025 season representing Poland at the United Cup, followed by participation in the Australian Open. Before that, she will compete in the World Tennis League, an exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi from December 19-22.
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