‘How Much Did (Maria) Sharapova Pay?’ – Iga Swiatek’s $70,000 Revelation Sparks Ex-WTA Pro’s Call Against Player Inequities
What does it cost to prove your innocence in professional tennis? For Iga Swiatek, the answer is tens of thousands of dollars, sleepless nights, and a one-month ban that shook her career. The 23-year-old player tested positive for a prohibited substance (TMZ) in August. She was handed a one-month ban and fine after she was declared innocent.
What does it cost to prove your innocence in professional tennis? For Iga Swiatek, the answer is tens of thousands of dollars, sleepless nights, and a one-month ban that shook her career. The 23-year-old player tested positive for a prohibited substance (TMZ) in August. She was handed a one-month ban and fine after she was declared innocent.
The Polish tennis player appeared on the TV Program “Fakty po Faktach” on 7 December to talk about her case. She also revealed how much she spent to clear her name. The former World No.1 said “I spent about $70,000 on a lawyer, €15,000 on expert opinions and tests,” she revealed, although she doesn’t remember the exact amounts. “On top of that, there was also the loss of the financial prize for Cincinnati, but – to be honest – it didn’t matter to me. The most important thing was to prove my innocence.”
The case has got everyone talking. In the most recent episode of Serving Aces, released today, Alexandra Stevenson and Hugues Laverdiere discussed the case and Swiatek’s subsequent one-month ban. They further debated as to why the doping organizations can’t form better rules so that the players and the public aren’t left confused.
On Iga Swiatek’s financial revelation, Stevenson said, “She’s number 1 in the world, obviously she can afford $ 70,000 but what about somebody else that isn’t one in the world? How are they going to afford that? That’s way too expensive. She said and obviously I’m gonna pay it because I’m innocent. So he is going to pay it and she is gonna do it. How much did Sinner pay? I am sure that Sinner paid way more $70,000. How much did Sharapova pay? Simona Halep has come out and said ‘this is so unfair’. Look how long her ban was. But then WADA came out and said Swaitek’s ban and Swiatek’s did is opposite of what Halep did. It’s confusing to the players, the whole Tour, the world, the fans.”
Case in point, Nicolas Jarry and Barbora Strycova. Jarry, an ATP player who is ranked 89, failed the doping test at the David Cup finals in 2020. He was served an 11-month ban even though the International Tennis Federation (ITF ) ruled that he “bore no significant fault or negligence for his violation.” Similar to Swiatek he had also ingested a contaminated pill which led to him testing positive. Barbora Strycova also faced a similar situation where she was handed a 6-month ban for doping via contamination.
