Jannik Sinner has rehired the fitness coach he sacked for purchasing the banned substance that led him to twice failing a drugs test last year.
Sinner, who beat Carlos Alcaraz to claim his first Wimbledon title earlier this month, fired both Umberto Ferrara, who also acted as the Italian’s anti-doping adviser, and his physiotherapist, Giacomo Naldi, for their respective roles in an incident that eventually led to him receiving a three-month doping ban.
Sinner tested positive for clostebol, an anabolic steroid, in both an in-competition and out-of-competition test in March last year, with much of the blame levelled at the support staff who handled the banned drug, contained in an over-the-counter-spray, when staying and working with Sinner at a tournament.
A first hearing concluded with Sinner being cleared of any wrongdoing by an independent tribunal, only for the World Anti-Doping Agency to appeal the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
However, the decision by Sinner to now reinstate Ferrara is sure to raise eyebrows given his apparent recklessness.
Despite his scientific background and the fact that he worked for the No1 tennis player in the world, Ferrera went to a pharmacy in Bologna in February last year and purchased a Trofodermin spray, which can be used to treat cuts and minor wounds.
On the label on the side of the canister it detailed the fact that clostebol, a performance-enhancing drug responsible for 38 positive tests among Italian athletes between 2019 and 2023, was among its ingredients.
Sinner’s team said that Ferrara, left, played an “important role” in the world No1’s development to date
FELICE CALABRO/SHUTTERSTOCK
Even so, Ferrara not only bought the spray — he took it with him to the United States when he knew he would be working with Sinner at tournaments, including at Indian Wells.
According to the evidence presented in the hearings, Naldi then cut his finger on a scalpel after reaching into a treatment bag.
When Naldi subsequently gave Sinner a massage, the player spotted the bandage and inquired as to what he had used to treat the wound. Naldi said he had used nothing other than the dressing.
However, Ferrara then spotted some days later that Naldi still needed a bandage and recommended he use the Trofodermin spray to speed up the healing process. He knew Naldi’s hands would be coming into direct contact with Sinner, as his masseur, but claims to have told his colleague that the spray contained clostebol and to therefore be very careful.
Under questioning Naldi claimed to have no recollection of that conversation, citing the fact that he was severely jet-lagged after travelling to the US. But he says he used the spray on his finger every morning between March 5 and March 13, which was also a period when he was giving Sinner massages on a daily basis. These massages included work on Sinner’s feet and back; areas where he suffers with a skin condition that can lead to small cuts and sores.
Sinner gave the samples that led to the adverse analytical findings, small traces of clostebol, on March 10 and March 18.
Understandably, Ferrara was sacked for bringing a banned steroid into Sinner’s inner sanctum. But now, less than three months after serving his ban, Sinner has reinstated him.
In a statement, Sinner’s team said: “The decision has been made in alignment with Jannik’s management team as part of ongoing preparations for upcoming tournaments, including the Cincinnati Open and US Open. Umberto has played an important role in Jannik’s development to date, and his return reflects a renewed focus on continuity and performance at the highest level.”
Sinner appointed Marco Panichi and Ulises Badio as the replacements for Ferrara and Naldi but released them before the start of Wimbledon.
In April, Ferrara, who went on to work with Matteo Berrettini, told Gazzetta dello Sport that he had long used the spray after a doctor prescribed it for an illness, and blamed Naldi for its contact with Sinner. “I was perfectly aware that it was banned so I always kept it safely stashed away in my wash bag,” he said. “I suggested to Naldi to use it for a cut which had not healed and was affecting his work.
“I was absolutely clear when I spoke to him about the nature of the product and it was imperative it never came into contact with Jannik. Naldi did not deny he had been told, but he said he could not recall.”