IGA SWIATEK RELEASES STATEMENT AFTER RECEIVING ONE-MONTH DOPING BAN FROM ITIA – ‘TOUGHEST BATTLE OF MY LIFE’

Iga Swiatek has released a video statement in response to her one-month doping suspension for a banned substance. The Pole, the world No. 2, was revealed to have tested positive for trimetazidine (TMZ) back in August, and was provisionally suspended throughout the Asian hard-court swing, missing the Korea, China, and Wuhan Opens, before she returned to action in October thanks to an appeal.

Iga Swiatek says she has “fought the toughest battle of my life” as she responded to her one-month suspension for a banned substance.
The world No. 2 was revealed on Thursday to have tested positive for trimetazidine (TMZ) back in August of this year, before the Cincinnati Open, where she reached the semi-finals.

The Pole was told of her positive test in September, and was given a provisional suspension which she successfully appealed, although she was absent from the Asian hard-court swing – missing the Korea, China, and Wuhan Opens – before having the suspension lifted in October to allow her to take part in the WTA World Tour Finals in Riyadh and the Billie Jean King Cup.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) ruled in a statement that Swiatek’s level of fault was at the lowest end of the range for ‘No Significant Fault or Negligence’, and ruled her consumption of TMZ to be “not intentional”.
As such, Swiatek has already served 22 days of her month-long ban, giving her eight more days before she can return to action.
That therefore means that she will be able to play in January’s Australian Open.
In Saudi Arabia, where Swiatek was defending her crown, she was beaten by Coco Gauff, the eventual winner, in the group stage, which confirmed that Aryna Sabalenka would end the year as world No. 1.
Swiatek was eliminated, finishing third, and pipped to the last four by Barbora Krejcikova, who she had already beaten.
At the BJK Cup, she helped Poland to their first ever semi-final, before they were beaten by winners Italy, although Swiatek did her part, coming from a set down to beat Jasmine Paolini in her singles rubber, but she tasted defeat in the decisive doubles.

SWIATEK’S FULL STATEMENT

“The topic I wanted to share with you is a tough one. One I was not able to discuss in the last two and a half months. But finally I can, so I hope this video will explain a lot. I want to be transparent with you and I want you to understand what’s been happening to me recently.
“On September 12, I learned that my anti-doping test sample, collected on August 12 before the Cincinnati tournament, was positive. It was a blow for me, I was shocked and this whole situation made me very anxious. At first I couldn’t understand how that was even possible and where it had come from. It turns out testing revealed historically lowest levels of trimetazidine, a substance I’ve never heard about before. I don’t think I even knew it existed. I have never encountered it, nor did people around me.

“So I had a strong sense of injustice, and these first few weeks were really chaotic. We instantly reacted and cooperated with the ITIA. The detected concentration was extremely low, suggested, or rather, made it obvious that either the sample was contaminated or a supplement or medication that I was taking was contaminated, which is why we focused on running tests on all nutritional supplements and medications that I was taking.
“The tests showed that melatonin [which] I’ve been using for a long time – the batch I had on me and had used before Cincinnati – was contaminated during manufacturing. It was a shock to hear, but it also explained a lot, and locating the source is key in these cases, which is why after finding out, we had to prove that the medication was in fact contaminated.
“Melatonin is necessary for me because of all my travelling, jetlag and work-related stress, which means that sometimes without it I can’t fall asleep, and I would be having trouble sleeping. After finding the source, we needed time for the whole matter to be concluded, which is what is happening now, and on September 12 I was provisionally suspended, making me unable to play the tournaments in Asia or defend my ranking.
“Clearly, it’s a consequence of this situation, but not the most important one for me. What mattered most for me was to prove my innocence. Now that the whole thing is drawing to a close, I was put on a symbolic one-month suspension. 22 days are behind me, eight days still to go. That means I can start the new season with a clean slate, focused on what I’ve always done, playing tennis.
“This experience, the most difficult in my life so far, taught me a lot, Going back to playing, competing in the WTA Finals and Billie Jean King Cup gave me a lot of positive emotions and made me enjoy my game again.
“The whole thing will definitely stay with me for the rest of my life. It took a lot of strength, returning to training after this situation nearly broke my heart. There were many tears and lots of sleepless nights. The worst part of it was uncertainty. I didn’t know what was going to happen with my career, how things would end or if I would be allowed to play tennis at all, which is why I am so grateful to my family and my team. People who stood by me, no matter what, right from the very beginning. Everyone got together to help me.
“They went all out to locate the source, and I am forever grateful for that. I admit this situation hit me hard, because all my life I strived to have a career that could be an example for generations to come. A career that’s going to be fair, that will show I was fair and will embody all the values a top athlete should stand for.
“I have a sense this situation could undermine the image I’ve been building for years. Which is why I hope you will understand what happened, understand how I had no control over it, and could do nothing to prevent this unfortunate turn of events.
“I hope you will stand by me and will keep supporting me, because I’m not sure if, without my supporters, I would have been able to find the strength to carry on and keep fighting.
“So now, I have fought the toughest battle of my life, and I hope you will stay with me and keep supporting me.”