Iga Swiatek, the world’s second-ranked tennis player, has accepted a one-month suspension after testing positive for trimetazidine (TMZ), a banned heart medication. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) confirmed the decision on Thursday, citing that the substance was unintentionally consumed through contaminated melatonin tablets Swiatek used for jet lag and sleep issues.
The violation stemmed from a sample collected in August 2024, while Swiatek was still ranked world number one. The ITIA concluded that her fault was at the lowest end of the spectrum, acknowledging the contamination as unintentional.
In a social media statement, Swiatek described the ordeal as the worst experience of my life, expressing relief that her innocence had been established.
Iga Swiatek, a five-time Grand Slam champion, was provisionally suspended from September 22 to October 4, missing three tournaments. The sanction leaves her with eight days to serve and includes forfeiting her Cincinnati Open prize money, where she finished as runner-up.
Karen Moorhouse, ITIA CEO, highlighted the case as a highly unusual instance of a contaminated product and reiterated the importance of athletes rigorously checking all supplements and medications.
The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) expressed full support for Swiatek, noting her commitment to clean sport. However, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) retains the right to appeal the ruling, as seen in a similar case involving men’s world number one Jannik Sinner.
Swiatek has since vowed to emerge stronger.
