「破綻している」　シナー問題に選手から懸念の声、システムに不信感

【ドバイＡＦＰ＝時事】注目が集まっていたヤニック・シナーとイガ・シフィオンテクのドーピング問題の処理について、選手たちから「プロセスが完全に破綻している」「あまりにも怖い」といった懸念の声が聞こえてきている。（写真は女子テニスのジェシカ・ペグラ）
　長きにわたるドーピング問題が１５日に決着し、シナーはクロステボール（ｃｌｏｓｔｅｂｏｌ）の痕跡が検出されたことの責任を部分的に認め、３か月の出場停止を受け入れた。これを受けて世界反ドーピング機関（ＷＡＤＡ）はスポーツ仲裁裁判所（ＣＡＳ）への異議申し立てを取り下げた。
　一方でシフィオンテクは昨年末、禁止されている狭心症の治療薬トリメタジジン（ＴＭＺ）に陽性反応を示したことで、１か月の出場停止を科された。
　これに対して、昨年の全米オープンのファイナリストで、ＷＴＡ選手協議会の一員でもある世界ランキング５位のジェシカ・ペグラ（米国）は、問題の処理の仕方と裁定に一貫性がなく、選手にとって不公平な環境が生じていると主張している。
　「彼がやったと思うかどうか、どちらの側に立つかに関係なく、プロセスがまったく形を成していないように思える」と語ったペグラは、「処分についても、判断材料についても、自分たちで勝手に決めているように見える。そんな風に一貫性がない以上、選手にとって公平なプロセスとは到底思えない」と話した。
　「クリーンかそうでないかといった話ではなく、プロセスが完全に破綻している」「真剣に見直す必要があると思う。彼らは選手のキャリアを台無しにするほどの力を持っているとも感じる。何か手を打つ必要があると思うし、すごく不公平に見える」
　女子世界１位のアリーナ・サバレンカも、シナーの処分についてはコメントしなかったが、スポーツ界の厳しい反ドーピング規則に違反しないよう、細心の注意を払うようになったと話している。
　「もっと注意深くなるしかない。例えば、以前ならレストランで水のグラスを置いてトイレに行くことを気にしなかった。今は帰ってきたらそのグラスの水は飲まない」
　「いろいろなことにもっと気をつけるようにしている。誰かがクリームを塗って、それで自分から陽性反応が出たら、みんなに追及されて信じてもらえなくなる場面が思い浮かぶ。そういうシステムがあまりにも怖いし、そういうものをどう信用したらいいか分からない」【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2025/02/17-17:03）

World number five Jessica Pegula believes the handling of high-profile doping cases involving Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek has shown that the process is completely broken.
And top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka admits she cannot trust the tennis anti-doping system and has become too scared of it.
Sinner's long doping saga came to an end on Saturday after he agreed to a three-month ban from tennis, the world number one admitting partial responsibility for team mistakes which led to him twice testing positive for traces of clostebol in March last year.
Sinner was facing a potential ban of two years after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against his initial exoneration by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), announced in August.
In a surprising move, WADA withdrew its appeal and came to an agreement with Sinner to accept a three-month ban.
In a statement, WADA said Sinner did not intend to cheat but would serve his suspension as he is responsible for the actions of his entourage.
Swiatek accepted a one-month ban after testing positive for the banned heart drug trimetazidine (TMZ) late last year.
The 23-year-old Pole had pulled out of the WTA's Asian swing in September-October citing personal matters.
Pegula, last year?s US Open finalist and a member of the WTA Players' Council, said the inconsistencies in the way cases are being processed and judged is creating an unfair environment for all tennis players.
I think my reaction is that, whether you think he did or you don't, or whatever side you're on, the process just seems to be completely not a process, the American told reporters in Dubai on Sunday.
- 'Make up ruling' -
It seems to just be whatever decisions and factors they take into consideration, and they just make up their own ruling.
I don't really understand how that's fair for players when there's just so much inconsistency and you have no idea.
Pegula added that any emails the players have been receiving regarding anti-doping cases contain explanations that are too easy to come up with, and are just ways for anti-doping organisations to justify their inconsistent rulings and processes.
If you're clean or not, the process is completely broken, she stated.
I think it needs to be seriously looked at and considered. I feel like they have so much power to ruin someone's career, as well. I think there needs to be something done about that because it just seems really unfair.
?I don't think any of the players trust the process at all right now. Zero. It's just a horrible look for the sport.
- 'Too scared' Sabalenka -
Sabalenka refused to comment on the outcome of the Sinner case but says she has become too wary of falling foul to the sport?s strict anti-doping rules.
You just start to be more careful. For example, before I wouldn't care about leaving my glass of water and go to the bathroom in a restaurant. Now, I'm not going to drink from the same glass of water, said the Belarusian world number one.
You just become a bit more aware of stuff and this thing gets to your head that, like, if someone used a cream on you and you test positive, they're going to go for you and they're not going to believe you or anything.
You just become too scared of the system. I don't see how I can trust the system.
Swiatek said she trusts that the process ultimately went fair, when asked about her reaction to the Sinner decision.
Every case is different. Every story is different, for sure, said the second-ranked Swiatek.
Because of Jannik's or my situation, we are kind of even celebrities, besides playing tennis. Everybody thinks of it from a hundred different perspectives.
But I just try to stick to the facts and read the documents. I trust that the process at the end went fair. That's the only thing I do because I try not to judge.
Sinner's three-month sanction was described as ridiculous by Australian firebrand Nick Kyrgios.
Guilty or not? Sad day for tennis. Fairness in tennis does not exist, Kyrgios posted on X on Saturday.
And three-time Grand Slam winner Stan Wawrinka was equally damning of the deal, writing: I don't believe in a clean sport anymore.