Five-time Major champion Iga Swiatek is the latest high-profile player to be caught in a doping scandal. She received a month-long ban from the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) after testing positive for trimetazidine, a banned substance, though it was found that she ultimately bore “no significant fault or negligence”.

World No. 1 Jannik Sinner was also caught in the crossfire after testing positive for clostebol, a banned anabolic substance. It sparked a huge debate in the tennis community, and just as the dust was settling on this matter, Swiatek’s positive test has reignited the discussion once again.

World no. 4 Taylor Fritz made a lengthy post and stated that speculating on such cases isn’t his cup of tea but he felt the biased reaction to such things is out of order. If it is a player that is generally supported by the public, then everyone rallies behind them regardless of the facts. While if it is someone that’s not a fan favorite, then they are raked over the coals.

“What drives me CRAZY about these situations (in terms of going on X) is not the actual cases themselves. It’s tough to know exactly what happened/all the details in all of these specific instances, so the speculation talk isn’t really my favorite thing to do. It’s fine to have your own honest opinions but what I can’t fathom and what is so upsetting to see as a player, is the INSANE bias from the tennis public supporting whatever story pushes the agenda they want to be pushed,” Taylor Fritz wrote.

“If it’s a rival of the player you support that tests positive then you are on team “let’s call them a doper/cheater/disgrace them as much as possible” and if it’s your fav player that it’s about then it’s “innocent no questions asked” How are you not able to remove your own personal bias and form an educated and honest opinion for yourself?” – Fritz asked.

Fritz signed off by saying that his heart goes out to all the innocent players who have to suffer because of this.

Even if as the player, you can prove your innocence (not saying anyone is or isn’t) people that support rival players/have bias against you will always blindly push the narrative you are a cheater, and that fact really makes me sad for all the true innocent players that have to go through this,” Fritz concluded.

Nick Kyrgios has never backed down from expressing his opinion. He gave his two cents on the matter as well, and found it absurd that top athletes can brush off all responsibility in such cases by feigning ignorance.

“The excuse that we can all use is that we didn’t know. Simply didn’t know. Professionals at the highest level of sport can now just say “we didn’t know”,” – Nick Kyrgios on X.

Tara Moore’s career was derailed after she was suspended for doping in June 2022. Her matter wasn’t dealt with as swiftly, and it wasn’t until this year that she returned to compete. She highlighted the discrepancy in her case compared to Swiatek and Sinner, and wondered why the organizations are not under more scrutiny.

“I took 19 months off as I had to make a “change to my team” too guys. Let’s not forget, mine was also contamination, and 2 other people also tested positive yet ITIA are appealing my case,” – Tara Moore on X.

Moore accidentally ingested a banned substance after eating contaminated meat in South America. Eva Lys highlighted this fact, and also mentioned the disparity in treatment meted out to lower-ranked players compared to those ranked at the top of the game.

“What about players that ate contaminated meat in south America ? Why didn’t @TaraMoore92 get a one month suspension? Im slowly starting to think, that not everyone gets an equal process…” – Eva Lys on X.

“there are alot of lower ranked players, that are not getting the same treatment as „higher ranked“ players. im not saying someone is/ or is not innocent, im saying that everyone deserves equal opportunities,” – Lys added.

Former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrosova agreed with Lys’ observations, and took to Instagram to share her words in a show of support.

Simona Halep, whose own doping scandal only concluded earlier this year, had something to say about the matter as well.

Simona Halep pointed out how Iga Swiatek’s case was handled differently compared to her own case

Simona Halep, who was suspended after testing positive for roxadustat in October 2022, finally cleared her name in March this year. However, the entire ordeal has naturally taken a toll on her. In light of Iga Swiatek’s situation, she is trying to make sense of her own drawn-out battle, and feels like she was crucified for no reason.

“I’m sitting and trying to understand, but it’s really impossible for me to understand something like this. I stand and ask myself, why is there such a big difference in treatment and judgment? I can’t find and I don’t think there can be a logical answer. It can only be bad will from ITIA, the organization that has done absolutely everything to destroy me despite the evidence,” Simona Halep wrote.

Halep’s career was on hold for two years during this period, and she laid out how this was the most difficult period of her life.

“I lost two years of my career, I lost many nights when I couldn’t sleep, thoughts, anxiety, questions without answers… but I won justice. It turned out that it was a contamination and that the biological passport was a pure invention. And I won something else, my soul remained clean!! I feel disappointed, I feel mad, I feel frustrated, but I do not feel evil even now,” Halep added.

Halep thanked her supporters during this time of hardship, and is proud to have come out of the battle on the winning side.

“I am grateful for the support and unconditional love of those who have been by my side every day. THANK YOU! In all the naughtiness, I also received love because those who offered me love in those moments really knew me! Perhaps this is the biggest victory! As we know well that every morning the sun rises for everyone, but it’s good to rise finding yourself with a flawless soul! And that’s how I am, packed and proud of what I am!” Halep concluded.

Denis Shapovalov kept his opinion rather concise, though it was quite easy to read between the lines.

“1 month ban eh,” – Denis Shapovalov on X.

However, it wasn’t all doom and gloom for Swiatek. Four-time Major champion Naomi Osaka extended her support, and replied with a heart emoji under the Pole’s Instagram post explaining the situation.

The WTA also threw its weight behind Swiatek, and released a statement in her support. They highlighted her dedication to upholding the values of fair play, and that this was an unfortunate and one-off incident.

“The WTA fully supports Iga during this difficult time. Iga has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to fair play and upholding the principles of clean sport, and this unfortunate incident highlights the challenges athletes face in navigating the use of medications and supplements,” – Part of WTA’s statement on Swiatek.

Sinner and Swiatek’s cases have shook the tennis world as two high-profile players going through something similar in a short span of time is unheard of. With the advancement in science and technology, many such cases are likely to be detected in the future as it will be difficult to evade detection.