Paris, Feb 28 The Laureus World Sports Academy announced that it is withdrawing the nomination of Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner for the 2025 Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award.
This decision follows a recent three-month suspension imposed on the Italian by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
In an email to the nominations panel, the Academy explained that, despite the "extenuating circumstances" surrounding the case, the suspension made Sinner's nomination ineligible, Xinhua reports.
“Following discussions by the Laureus Academy it has been decided that Jannik Sinner’s Nomination for this year’s Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award is to be withdrawn. We have followed this case, the decisions of the relevant global bodies and - whilst we note the extenuating circumstances involved - feel that the three-month ban renders the nomination ineligible. Jannik and his team have been informed," it said in a statement.
Earlier this month, WADA revealed that Sinner had entered into a case resolution agreement after testing positive for clostebol in March 2024.
The three-time Grand Slam winner accepted the three-month ban, acknowledging that although he did not intentionally use a prohibited substance and did not benefit from it in his performance, athletes are ultimately responsible for the actions of their support personnel. WADA deemed the three-month suspension an appropriate sanction.
Sinner, who won the 2025 Australian Open in January, will have to serve a three-month ban from February 9 to May 4, four days having already been served under provisional suspension, and will be allowed to return to training from April 13.
His retun on May 4 will allow him to participate in the second grand slam of the season at the Roland Garros, the venue for the French Open, which takes place in Paris, France from May 19 to June 8.
The full list of nominees for the 2025 Laureus World Sports Awards will be announced on March 3.
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