John Millman is not a fan of the criticism that has been coming Jannik Sinner’s way as the former Australian tennis player thinks players should be happy that the Italian avoided “a butcher job” that he felt was done in the Simona Halep doping case.
After the ITIA announced on Tuesday that Sinner twice tested positive for a banned steroid in March but avoided suspension after the investigation determined that the prohibited substance unknowingly entered his body, it led to some strong comments – with Denis Shapovalov for instance claiming that there are “different rules for different players.”
Nick Kyrgios also had a very harsh take, slamming the entire situation as “ridiculous” and adding the 23-year-old should have at least gotten a two-year suspension.Â
Before Sinner, two-time Grand Slam champion Halep also tested positive for a prohibited substance. But although it also happened in an unintentional way, the Romanian former world No. 1 spent a year and a half sidelined before she won her battle and was cleared to return to play.Â
Millman defends Sinner: Not a butcher job like with Halep…
“Before jumping to conclusions, Jannik Sinner had less than a billionth of a gram in his system… I believe him 100 percent… maybe we should change threshold cater for contamination. Finally why the uproar for this when we allow athletes in all sports, including tennis, to abuse TUE’s?” Millman wrote on X.
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In a follow-up post, Millman added: Furthermore, the ITIA handled this 1000x better than the butcher job with Simona… Jannik is about as good a person that exists on tour. At least read the report before you pass judgment.”
Furthermore, the ITIA handled this 1000x better than the butcher job with Simona..
Jannik is about as good a person that exists on tour.
At least read the report before you pass judgement.— John Millman (@johnhmillman) August 20, 2024
Meanwhile, Sinner issued a short statement, in which he described the entire situation as ” a challenging and deeply unfortunate period” and also vowed to do everything in his power to avoid being in this situation ever again.