Latest doping controversies involving high gamers haven’t broken tennis’s repute however having a single commissioner for the game would go a great distance in direction of clearing up any confusion surrounding instances, John McEnroe mentioned.
Males’s world primary Jannik Sinner failed two drug exams in March for hint quantities of the anabolic androgenic steroid clostebol however was cleared of any wrongdoing by an impartial tribunal that accepted his rationalization of unintentional contamination.
Girls’s world quantity two Iga Swiatek accepted a one-month ban in November after a constructive check for hormone and metabolic modulator trimetazidine, which she mentioned was the results of contamination of her sleep treatment.
The ITIA, which runs tennis’s anti-doping program, mentioned each instances concerned “inadvertent breaches of the foundations.”
“I do not assume it has completed any harm as a result of when you look, it is method worse within the different sports activities,” McEnroe, a former world primary turned ESPN broadcaster, informed reporters forward of the Australian Open.
“For my part tennis is cleaner than every other sport. Now that does not imply there should not points.”
He mentioned confusion stemming from the timing of the discharge of knowledge, like Sinner’s constructive check at March’s Indian Wells event not being made public till simply earlier than the US Open started in August, makes issues worse.
“That half I actually don’t love,” he mentioned.
Rennae Stubbs, a former participant, present coach and ESPN commentator, mentioned gamers are examined “on a regular basis” and {that a} commissioner might assist improve transparency when a constructive check arises and the gamers’ repute hangs within the stability.
“We’d like a commissioner of tennis that truly will get on the market and speaks on behalf of gamers to defend or not defend them,” she mentioned.
“The underside line is now we have nobody speaking for them.”
McEnroe mentioned he had lengthy advocated for a commissioner and had been “prepared, keen and ready” to take the job.
“If I wasn’t the commissioner, there nonetheless ought to be a commissioner,” he mentioned.
“It would not appear like it is ever going to occur as a result of persons are too busy, these tournaments shield their very own pursuits. They care about themselves, they do not care sufficient concerning the sport,” he mentioned.
“So it is too unhealthy. However nonetheless, if it is not me, it ought to be another person.
“We’ll see if it occurs within the subsequent 10 years.”
