SYDNEY: World number two Iga Swiatek said on Friday she was ready to put a drugs scandal behind her, insisting there was no reason for the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to appeal against her case.
The 23-year-old Pole tested positive for the heart medication trimetazidine (TMZ) in an out-of-competition sample in August when she was ranked number one.
However, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) accepted that the violation was not intentional and she escaped with a one-month sanction that saw her miss three tournaments in Asia and lose her top ranking.
News of the saga only emerged in late November and she will play her first tournament since then at the mixed-teams United Cup in Sydney ahead of the Australian Open next month.
Swiatek said that, while the incident had been “mentally tough,” the public response had been generally positive, allaying fears that she would be ostracized.
“I think people, most of them, are understanding,” said the five-time Grand Slam champion.
“And the ones who read the documents and are aware of how the system works, they know that I had no fault and I had no influence on what was going on.
“I try to just go on with my life and focus on different things, focus on preparing for the season and on tennis, because this is the best thing you can do after a case like that,” she said.
Her case is similar to that of Italian men’s world number one Jannik Sinner.
He was exonerated by the ITIA for twice testing positive for traces of the steroid clostebol in March. But WADA appealed against the decision in September and he is awaiting the outcome.
Swiatek said she does not anticipate WADA will follow the same path with her.
“I gave every possible evidence and there is not much, honestly, more to do,” she said.
“There is no point to do an appeal in our opinion.
“But, you know, I guess overall, this whole process was pretty abstract sometimes and hard to understand from a point of view where you don’t think about the law and everything.
“But honestly, this is about the law and the wording and this kind of stuff. So I’m not expecting an appeal, but I have kind of no influence on what’s going to happen.
“But I can say from the processes that I went through and how they treated me from the beginning, that it seemed fair for me,” she said.
“I managed to give the source (of the contamination) pretty quickly. That’s why the case closed, pretty quickly.”
Swiatek not expecting WADA appeal over doping scandal
https://arab.news/jxjfm
Swiatek not expecting WADA appeal over doping scandal
- Pole tested positive for the heart medication trimetazidine in an out-of-competition sample in August when she was ranked number one
Riyadh stages LIV Golf opener as league navigates change in 2026
- Ben An: Night golf adds character to this event. It’s similar to night racing in F1, so I think it’ll be good for golf too
- Michael La Sasso: Being able to travel the world at such a young age, I couldn’t pass up this experience
RIYADH: The 2026 LIV Golf League gets underway in Riyadh this Wednesday, marking the start of a new season that will see the tour adopt a four-day, 72-hole format for the first time since its launch in 2022.
Despite the structural change, much of the early attention has focused on the departures of high-profile players such as Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed, who recently confirmed that he will not return this season. LIV Golf players, however, insist their focus remains firmly on the campaign ahead.
At the league’s pre-season press conference, Legion XIII captain Jon Rahm addressed Reed’s move.
“I wish Patrick Reed nothing but the best,” Rahm said. “Everyone is free to choose wherever they want to play golf.
“He’s been playing fantastic golf, and if he wants to go back (to the PGA Tour), he can choose to do so.”
The opening event in Riyadh will again feature play under the lights — a format that has become one of LIV Golf’s most distinctive traits.
“It’s just a case of getting used to the night golf,” said Legion XIII teammate Tyrrell Hatton. Rahm agreed, noting that while the concept was enjoyable, consistently staging events after dark brought its own challenges.
For Tom McKibbin, playing under the lights initially came as a surprise but left a lasting impression during his first appearance in Riyadh last season.
“I don’t think any other golf event has been played in the dark — it was very new for me,” McKibbin said. “But I enjoyed playing under the lights, and it made for a cool first experience.”
Korean Golf Club member Ben An echoed that sentiment, suggesting the format added a new dimension to the sport.
“Night golf adds character to this event,” he said. “It’s similar to night racing in F1, so I think it’ll be good for golf too.”
Beyond the format, several players highlighted the competitive environment and global travel as key reasons for committing to LIV.
“I say this with no disrespect to other tours, but you only face the top players two to three times a year at a major,” said Richard Bland of Cleeks GC. “Here, you get to play against the likes of Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau 14 to 15 times a year.”
For younger players, including 21-year-old Michael La Sasso, the international nature of the tour has been a major draw.
“Being able to travel the world at such a young age, I couldn’t pass up this experience,” La Sasso told Arab News. “The amount I’ll be able to learn just by being here — it’s hard to express how cool it really is.
“As a 21-year-old, I get to see different cultures on a regular basis. Even seeing camels in Riyadh this week was pretty cool.”
LIV Golf opens for the second consecutive season under the Riyadh Golf Club lights from Feb. 4 to 7. Adrian Meronk of Cleeks GC returns as defending individual champion after finishing 17 under par last year, while Legion XIII claimed the team title with a total of 50 under par.
The tour moves on just seven days later, with its second event taking place in Adelaide — one of the most anticipated stops on the LIV calendar.
