On the packaging of an over-the-counter spray sold in Italy, which caused tennis player Jannik Sinner to fail two drug tests in March, has the word “DOPING” written in capital letters inside a red circle with a slash through it.
However, Sinner was cleared of any wrongdoing last month and is set to play Jack Draper in the U.S. Open semifinals on Friday. The spray, called Trofodermin, contains the banned anabolic steroid Clostebol and can be purchased without a prescription in Sinner’s home country. It was bought by his physical trainer and led to a small amount of Clostebol showing up in his test results.
The product is meant for treating cuts and scrapes but has a warning on the medication guide, in Italian, stating that its use without therapeutic need is considered doping and can result in positive anti-doping tests.
According to Italian lawyer Giovanni Fontana, who has handled about 100 doping cases for athletes in his 30-year career, 10 of those cases were due to positive tests for Clostebol found in Trofodermin. Nine of those cases resulted in bans for the athletes. Fontana also mentioned that the drug can easily be transmitted to an athlete through a family member or partner who has used it. Despite testing positive, Sinner was not suspended as it was determined that the Clostebol entered his system unintentionally through a massage from his physiotherapist. Sinner has since fired his fitness trainer and physiotherapist.
The Italian law states that all products containing banned substances, as listed by the World Anti-Doping Association, must have the word “DOPING” printed on the packaging. However, in the case of Trofodermin, the warning is only on the box and not on the product itself, which could be a potential danger if the box is thrown away after purchase. Fontana suggested that Sinner could take legal action against his former trainer and physiotherapist for damages to his image, legal costs, and the stress and anxiety caused by the situation.
It is possible for WADA and Nado Italia, Italy’s anti-doping agency, to appeal the decision in Sinner’s case. Nado Italia has appealed all cases involving Clostebol and Trofodermin that Fontana has worked on. In the United States, Clostebol is considered a controlled substance and can only be sold with a doctor’s prescription due to its potential for abuse. It is listed under the anabolic androgenic steroids section on WADA’s banned substances list. The Trofodermin box also mentions “Clostebol” four times and can be purchased by the AP (the product is also available in cream form).
The investigation by the International Tennis Integrity Agency found that Sinner had a trace amount of Clostebol in his system, which he demonstrated by using eight fingers to count out the number of zeroes before the “1” in the amount, .000000001.
