After Sinner and Swiatek’s Scandals: Players Avoid Medication for Insect Bites Over Fear of Doping

British tennis star Emma Raducanu recently revealed a haunting fear surrounding doping, stemming from what seemed to be a trivial incident: an insect bite. Her story sheds light on the pressures professional players face in managing doping risks and the consequences of it.

Pressure After the Cases of Sinner and Swiatek

While preparing for the Australian Open 2025, Raducanu shared that she was bitten by jumping ants, leading to significant swelling in her hand and ankle. She was advised to use a natural antiseptic spray to reduce the inflammation but decided against it, fearing that it might lead to an unintentional positive doping test.

“My hand and ankle were very swollen,” Raducanu explained. “Someone gave me a natural antiseptic spray to try to calm the swelling, but I didn’t want to use it. I didn’t dare spray it. I chose to endure the swelling because I didn’t want to take the risk. We’re always worried—we’re all in the same boat. If something happens beyond our control, it’s incredibly hard to prove that a positive test wasn’t our fault.”

This concern has grown among professional players following notable cases involving Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek. Swiatek faced a one-month suspension after testing positive for the banned substance trimetazidine (TMZ), which she claimed entered her system through melatonin, a sleep aid.

Similarly, Jannik Sinner tested positive for clostebol, a banned substance found in a spray used by his doctor to treat a cut on his finger.

A Constant Worry for Tennis Players

Raducanu expressed how these incidents have left many players in a state of constant anxiety:
“Many players I know are quite worried. We’re all aware of how easy it is to accidentally ingest banned substances. There are some supplements I’d like to use, but I can’t because they’re sold over-the-counter and aren’t batch-tested.”

She further explained that batch testing supplements costs over $1,000, a price not all players can afford. In cases of unintentional doping, the financial burden to prove innocence is immense.

Iga Swiatek revealed in an interview with Poland’s TVN24 that she spent $70,000 on lawyers and over $15,000 on experts to defend herself. For players without strong financial resources, the fear of doping accusations remains ever-present.

A Harsh Reality for Professional Players

Raducanu’s story highlights the invisible pressures that professional players endure. From seemingly minor incidents like insect bites to the use of medical products or supplements, everything carries the risk of jeopardizing their careers. In a sport where doping regulations are strictly enforced, even top players are not immune to the fear of unintentional violations.