Iga Świątek Handed One-Month Ban for Doping Violation Linked to Contaminated Supplement
Polish tennis player Iga Świątek, the current World No. 2 and five-time Grand Slam champion, has received a one-month ban for doping after she tested positive for trimetazidine (TMZ), a regulated drug. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) ruled that the positive result was caused by the inadvertent contamination of a non-prescription melatonin supplement that Świątek had been using to help with jet lag and sleep problems. The supplement, which is manufactured and sold in Poland, was later found to contain trace amounts of TMZ, leading to the positive test from an out-of-competition sample collected in August 2024
The provisional suspension served so as applied to Świątek covered the period from Sept. 22, 2024, through Oct. 4, during which she missed three tournaments. These missed events added to the penalty, which left her with only eight days remaining on her sanction. In confirming the suspension, the ITIA said Świątek’s violation had not been intentional and that her level of fault was low. It was classified as one of “No Significant Fault or Negligence,” a designation that normally leads to lesser penalties for athletes.
Under the terms of the suspension, Śiątek will also lose prize money and ranking points from the Cincinnati Open, which she reached the final of, losing to World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. The ITIA’s decision is a reminder of the need for transparency, and that even over-the-counter medications must be monitored closely, and illustrates the punishing grip that anti-doping regulations have within professional sports.
Świątek, 23, is considered one of the most reliable and disciplined players in tennis. However, her cooperation with the ITIA and acceptance of the suspension is a recognition of and respect for this process. Although the incident puts a temporary blot on an otherwise illustrious career, the ITIA’s conclusions that the violation was unintentional help maintain her prominence in the sport.
This case should serve as a cautionary tale for athletes on the risk of regulated medications containing defeated contaminants and as a lesson on the importance of due diligence when using medications. That said, Świątek will likely be back out on the tour in short order, looking to get back to the top of the world rankings and expand on a trophy cabinet that has earned her plenty of accolades.
