In September 2024 the International Tennis Federation (ITF) reported an anti-doping rule violation against the Polish tennis player Iga Świątek after her sample tested positive for the prohibited substance Trimetazidine.
Following notification a provisional suspension was ordered. The Athlete filed a statement with evidence in her defence and requested to lift the provisional suspension.
The Athlete accepted the test result, denied the intentional use of the substance and assumed that a contaminated medication had caused the positive test result. Thereupon she made available an opened container of this melatonin medication and a sealed container from the same batch.
Analysis of the tablets of these containers in the Salt Lake City Laboratory in October 2024 confirmed the presence of Trimetazidine contaminants. Moreover the ITF's experts confirmed that the amount of contaminants detected were consistent with the concentration Trimetazidine established in the Athlete's sample.
After confirmation of the medication contamination by the Salt Lake City Laboratory the ITF granted the Athlete's request to lift the provisional suspension. Nevertheless the ITF deems that the Athlete had committed an anti-doping rule violation.
Hereafter the Athlete admitted the violation, waived her right for a hearing and accepted the sanction proposed by the ITF. In view of the evidence the ITF concluded that the anti-doping rule violation was not intentional and that the Athlete acted with a low degree of fault or negligence regarding her medication.
Therefore the ITF decides on 27 November 2024 to impose a reduced 1 month period of ineligibility on the Athlete. The sanction shall start on the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. on 12 September 2024, until 4 December 2024.
