Jannik Sinner Reinstates Fitness Coach Amid Doping Controversy
Jannik Sinner has made the decision to bring back Umberto Ferrara as his fitness coach, a move that comes in the wake of the recent doping controversy Sinner found himself embroiled in. On Wednesday, Sinner’s management team announced that Ferrara would be reinstated immediately as part of Sinner’s preparations for his upcoming competitions, including the Cincinnati Open and the U.S. Open.
“Umberto has been integral to Jannik’s growth as an athlete, and his reappointment signifies a renewed commitment to stability and top-tier performance,” the management stated.
Background of the Doping Incident
The backdrop of this decision lies in an incident that occurred in early 2024 when Ferrara procured Trofodermin, a widely available Italian wound ointment containing clostebol, a prohibited anabolic steroid. A month after this purchase, Sinner registered two positive tests for clostebol. However, he quickly contested and overturned the provisional suspensions resulting from these tests. In August of the same year, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) acknowledged that Sinner had “no fault or negligence” regarding the positive tests.
Sinner attributed the presence of clostebol to treatments administered by his physiotherapist, Giacomo Naldi, who had applied the spray on Sinner’s hand before a massage session. The ITIA accepted Sinner’s account that he did not engage in intentional doping. Yet, soon after the ruling, Sinner decided to sever ties with both Ferrara and Naldi, expressing a lack of confidence in their partnership.
“I’m not feeling that confident to continue with them,” Sinner remarked during a press event ahead of the U.S. Open last year.
Consequences and Resolution
Following this, he received a three-month suspension imposed by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), which challenged the ITIA’s ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Fortunately for Sinner, WADA later reached a resolution agreement with him, with their special counsel clarifying that Sinner’s case was “a million miles” from deliberate doping.
In an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport earlier this year, Ferrara asserted that he had cautioned his team about the potential risks associated with the spray.
“I very clearly communicated to Naldi both the nature of the product and the fact that it must not come into contact with Jannik for any reason,” Ferrara explained.
Naldi did not respond to requests for comment regarding this issue.
Recent Changes in Coaching Staff
Prior to this recent decision, Sinner had released his previous fitness coach, Marco Panichi, and physiotherapist Ulises Badio, both of whom were linked to Novak Djokovic’s camp, just before his successful title run at Wimbledon this year, where he triumphed over Carlos Alcaraz. Remarkably, Sinner has clinched three out of four Grand Slam titles in the last year, marking a significant surge in his career after parting ways with Ferrara and Naldi.
