Tennis great Ilie Nastase has claimed world No 1 Jannik Sinner received preferential treatment over his failed doping tests because of his status in tennis and his nationality. 

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced in August that Sinner would not serve a ban for failing two doping tests in March after an independent tribunal ruled he carried “no fault or negligence.”

The Italian tested positive for clostebol, a banned anabolic steroid, on March 10 and 18 — during and after the Indian Wells Masters.

The tribunal accepted Sinner’s explanation that the substance had entered his body when receiving a massage from his former physio, Giacomo Naldi, who had used a spray containing the steroid to treat a cut on his finger.

The 23-year-old was stripped of the 400 ranking points and $320,000 he earned for reaching the semi-finals in Indian Wells.

In September, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport over the verdict, seeking to impose a ban of up to two years on Sinner.

A statement from WADA said: “It is WADA’s view that the finding of ‘no fault or negligence’ was not correct under the applicable rules.

“WADA is seeking a period of ineligibility of between one and two years. WADA is not seeking a disqualification of any results, save that which has already been imposed by the tribunal of first instance.”

Sinner won eight titles, including two Grand Slams and three Masters 1000s, in an incredible 2024 season. He has topped the ATP Rankings since June.

In an interview with Romanian website Golazo, Nastase was asked for his thoughts on the Sinner case and argued the Italian had received a “symbolic punishment.”

“Well, of course it is [a symbolic punishment]. Maybe it scared them (the ITIA) that Simona [Halep] returned the result to the CAS,” said the two-time Grand Slam winner (translated from Romanian).

“But if the Italian wasn’t number 1 and was Romanian, how long do you think he would have been suspended? Still two to three years.”

Halep, Nastase’s fellow Romanian, was given a four-year ban in September last year after testing positive for the banned blood doping agent roxadustat at the 2022 US Open.

In March, the former world No 1’s ban was reduced to nine months following her appeal to the CAS, allowing her to play again with immediate effect.