By Gabe Jaramillo | gabejaramillo.com | Tuesday, August 27, 2024
Coach Gabe Jaramillo traces the evolution of PEDs in tennis, responds to the Jannik Sinner case and asserts players "are a result of their actions and inactions."
Photo credit: Matthew Calvis
To address the issues affecting our sport's reputation, it's essential to understand the historical context of Olympic sports and its influence on current policies and regulations.
Tennis was first included in the Olympic Games in 1896 but was removed after the 1924 Paris Games due to disputes over amateurism, as only amateurs were allowed to compete at the time. It wasn't until the 1988 Seoul Olympics that tennis was reintroduced as a regular event in the Summer Games.
More: Jannik Sinner Tests Positive for Steroids
This reintroduction is significant because, before tennis’s return to the Olympics, players were not subject to anti-doping tests.
During that period, the use of performance-enhancing drugs was not uncommon, offering advantages such as increased muscle mass and strength, enhanced endurance, quicker recovery, improved concentration, and reduced fatigue.
While these substances could provide extensive benefits, their use is illegal in sports and raises severe ethical concerns. Since tennis’s reinstatement, anti-doping measures have been enforced rigorously to ensure fair competition.
My involvement in high-level competitive sports dates back to the 1970s, rooted in a family with a strong athletic background. My mother coached the Olympic swimming team, and swimming has always been a cornerstone of our lives. Growing up among elite athletes, we understood early on the importance of competing cleanly. We were taught that even minor deviations—such as taking an aspirin—required consulting the team doctor. This vigilance was crucial due to the growing prevalence of performance-enhancing drugs and the challenge of identifying banned substances in vitamins, proteins, and medications.
I share this perspective to help those who follow tennis better understand its complexities. By highlighting these issues, we aim to provide a clearer view of doping concerns and enable more informed opinions when such situations arise.
To offer a comprehensive understanding of doping, I will discuss various forms of doping, the regulations on prohibited substances, and how athletes at all levels, and from an early age are thoroughly educated about these rules.
Doping can occur in several ways: orally, via injections, with topical creams or gels absorbed through the skin; or by inhalation of substances as vapors or aerosols. Each method introduces banned substances, such as anabolic steroids, stimulants, or hormones, into the body to illegally enhance performance. Additionally, some athletes use blood doping, transfusing their own blood to increase red blood cell count, to obtain more oxygen delivery and as a consequence more endurance.
The majority of athletes that use enhancing drugs, rely on doping masking. It involves using substances or techniques to hide the presence of banned drugs in their system. This can include diuretics, or chemicals that make drugs harder to detect. Other methods involve substituting clean urine for testing or using intravenous fluids to flush out drug traces before a test. These tactics are employed to evade detection and avoid sanctions. Often, athletes are caught not because of the drugs themselves, but due to the discovery of masking agents.
Players can be randomly selected for doping tests during tournaments, either immediately after their matches or at other times while they are present at the event. Some players are able to provide a sample right away, others may take hours, often needing to drink plenty of fluids before they can comply, sometimes as late as 5:00 a.m. This process can be especially challenging, particularly for those players who regularly take longer to provide samples. The delays are difficult not only for the players but also for the coaches and the doping control personnel who administer the tests.
Furthermore, players are subject to out-of-competition testing, including random checks at training facilities or during breaks from competition. They are responsible for informing their federations and the ITF of their training schedules, travel plans, and other activities, to enable anti-doping authorities to conduct the pertinent tests. Even during vacations in remote locations, players may face surprise tests by WADA, which, while necessary, can be uncomfortable and invasive.
Injured tennis players who need time to recover are provided with a Protected Ranking to enter tournaments based on their pre-injury ranking. During this recovery period, they remain under the supervision of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and their national tennis federations, both of which follow the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) regulations.
Players on a Protected Ranking are required to keep these organizations informed of their activities, both on and off the court, as anti-doping authorities may conduct testing at any time, regardless of the players’ physical activity or location.
During pre-competition periods at training academies, WADA officials frequently conduct random anti-doping tests. They often wait patiently for the selected player to be ready to provide a sample, maintaining constant vigilance. Unfortunately, these officials are often viewed as inconveniences rather than as guardians of fairness.
As a coach, I have experienced situations in small tournaments and Grand Slams, where both the player and our team fell ill due to food poisoning during the event . While the rest of the team could take medication, the player had to endure significant discomfort until receiving authorization from the official doctor, reflecting the strict protocols enforced across all levels of competition.
Junior players are also subject to anti-doping testing under the same rules as professionals. Testing can occur randomly both during and outside of competitions. Coaches and managers must emphasize education to prevent violations and ensure that parents and young athletes are well-informed about the rules.
Tennis, as an individual sport, requires players to take full responsibility for their actions. Existentialist philosophy, which emphasizes personal accountability and the impact of one’s choices, is particularly relevant in this context. Players must be aware of the substances they introduce into their bodies, as their success and reputation are directly tied to their decisions and integrity. Players are a result of their actions and inactions.
Over the years, many players, including top stars, have faced suspensions for positive doping tests. They may have had better arguments, such as having consumed vitamins which had been processed in industrial machines that were not properly cleaned and had residues of contaminants with products banned for being enhancing drugs. In some other cases, players unknowingly consumed contaminated vitamins or substances that had recently been reclassified as illegal. Despite the players’ explanations, these violations resulted in suspensions, loss of sponsors, and, often, irreparable damage to their careers.
Regarding Jannik Sinner, it was reported that his physiotherapist, who was treated for a cut on his finger with a spray containing the banned steroid, applied a cream, which entered his body through skin lesions.
Despite this, Sinner was tested twice for the same infraction. Those familiar with professional athletes know that they can be self-confident, egotistical, and influential, often making it difficult for team members to make decisions that might negatively impact them. The committee that reviewed Sinner's case determined he was not at fault, yet he was still stripped of his points and prize money from Indian Wells. This decision appears inconsistent and lacks fairness, as it avoids taking a decisive stance.
Conceding he was “worried” he could be banned, Sinner said he was also confident he would be cleared because he believes the minute trace amounts of clostebol in his system reinforce his claim of inadvertent contamination.
“Of course I was worried, because it was the first time for me, you know, and hopefully the last time that I am in this situation, position,” Sinner said. “There also a different part we have to see is the amount I had in my body, which is 0.000000001, so there are a lot of zeroes before coming up a 1. So I was worried, of course, because I'm always the player who was working very, very carefully in this. I believe I'm a fair player on and off the court.”
Ultimately, these measures highlight the player's fundamental responsibility for their own choices.
Regardless of who provides the substances or the level of trust in their support team, players must be fully aware of and comply with anti-doping regulations to avoid unintentional or intentional use of prohibited substances.
We hold great respect for Jannik Sinner and recognize his significant role as a tennis ambassador. However, it is essential to ensure that all players are treated equally, regardless of their status. Favoritism undermines the sport's integrity and can damage its reputation. Officials cannot sit on the fence on this issue.
Your voice is essential in upholding the principles of fairness and equality that define our sport. We depend on your support to keep the spirit of the game alive. Share your thoughts and join us in preserving the future and the joy that make this sport truly special. Be a part of the conversation—reach out and write to us.
Renowned tennis coach Gabe Jaramillo has coached the sport for decades and is a Tennis Now contributing writer. Please visit Gabe's website at gabejaramillo.com.
Contact Tennis Now at [email protected].