Andrea Petkovic applauded Iga Swiatek for the way in which she dealt with the doping scenario because the 2014 French Open semifinalist absolutely believes that the Pole was going via a really tough time as a result of she knew she was harmless.
Shortly after the ITIA introduced final Thursday that the world No. 2 examined constructive for trimetazidine (TMZ) and had served a provisional suspension earlier than accepting a one-month ban, the 23-year-old needed to personally clarify what occurred and he or she did so by importing a video message on her Instagram.Â
In August, Swiatek offered a pattern that got here again as constructive for a banned substance and he or she was knowledgeable about it on September twelfth. Then, got here what she described as an especially annoying and anxious interval, throughout which she cried quite a bit and could not sleep all whereas making an attempt to find out how a constructive check occurred and show her innocence. Finally, they came upon that non-prescription melatonin drugs manufactured in Poland had been contaminated and the ITIA accepted that she did not deliberately take a prohibited substance.
In the identical message, Swiatek expressed gratitude to everybody who helped her show her innocence but in addition famous it was a traumatic expertise that she would always remember.
Petkovic, a former world No. 9, watched the video and had little doubt that all the pieces mentioned there was pure and honest.
“I think Iga Swiatek handled it the best of all players with her videos, speaking right down the barrel, in her language where she feels most comfortable with the translation of course and subtitles. I was really moved by because you could see the stress, the distress, the relief that it’s over and just explaining right down the barrel as if she was looking into your eyes, I thought that was really powerful from her and I have to say she really gained by respect and appreciation about what she did there. I think that’s really hard,” the previous German tennis star mentioned on the Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast.Â
What Swiatek precisely mentioned?Â
Within the very first sentence of her message, the five-time Grand Slam underlined that she was about to handle “a tough topic” and one she wasn’t allowed to talk of for 2 and a half months. Then, she talked about TMZ and the way she was left completely shocked in regards to the constructive doping check since she did not even know what TMZ was.Â
Iga Swiatek© Iga Swiatek/Instagram – Honest Use
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“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,” Swiatek added.Â
Then, the 23-year-old went on to elucidate how they decided that the melatonin remedy she was utilizing was accountable. She defined that she wanted melatonin drugs to “treat stress and jet lag issues.”
“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,” the previous No. 1 mentioned subsequent.Â
On the finish of her message, Swiatek additionally acknowledged she was conscious that some might change their notion of her. And he or she pleaded that to not occur as a result of she believed she was 100% harmless.Â
“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,” the Polish tennis star famous.
Typically, the bulk have accepted Swiatek’s clarification and suppose that it ought to all finish there. Nonetheless, some questioned it – most notably Nick Kyrgios – who sarcastically instructed that every one it took for a prime participant to keep away from doping suspension is to say that they “did not know.”
On Wednesday, Swiatek’s one-month suspension expired and he or she might be aligible to begin her 2025 season in time.
