World number two Iga Swiatek has accepted a one-month suspension after testing positive for the prohibited substance trimetazidine (TMZ), the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) confirmed on Thursday.
The ITIA said Poland’s five-time major champion Swiatek tested positive in an out-of-competition sample in August. The positive test was caused by the contamination of a regulated non-prescription medication (melatonin).
The statement added that Swiatek had been taking the medication for jet lag and sleep issues and that the violation was therefore not intentional.
“In relation to the Player’s level of fault, as the contaminated product was a regulated non-prescription medication in the player’s country of origin and purchase and considering all the circumstances of its use (and other contaminated product cases under the World Anti-Doping Code), the player’s level of fault was considered to be at the lowest end of the range for ‘No Significant Fault or Negligence’,” the ITIA said.
The ITIA added that it offered a one-month suspension to Swiatek, who, on Thursday, formally admitted the Anti-Doping Rule Violation and accepted the sanction.
“The player was provisionally suspended from 12 September until 4 October, missing three tournaments, which counts towards the sanction, leaving eight days remaining,” the statement said.
