World No. 2 Iga Swiatek has accepted a one-month suspension from the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) after testing positive for the banned substance trimetazidine (TMZ).
The ITIA on Thursday confirmed that the Pole tested positive for the substance in an out-of-competition sample on Aug. 12, 2024. As per its investigation, Swiatek “bore no significant fault or negligence” since the positive test was caused by the contamination of a regulated medication sold in Poland that she “had been taking for jet lag and sleep issues, and that the violation was therefore not intentional.”
The ITIA offered Swiatek a one-month suspension on Nov. 27, which she accepted. However, she has already served 22 days of the ban as she was provisionally suspended between Sept. 12 and Oct. 4, causing her to miss the Korean Open, China Open and Wuhan Open. Swiatek — who axed her coaching staff in October — cited “personal reasons” for missing those tournaments. It is now clear that she was forced to miss those events due to the provision ban.
The positive test was not revealed publicly due to the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme Rules. Swiatek was reinstated on the Tour after a successful appeal, allowing her to play the season-ending WTA Finals in Riyadh and the Billie Jean King Cup finals.
With most of her suspension already served, the five-time major winner plans to return at the 2025 Australian Open. After accepting her one-month ban, an emotional Swiatek issued a statement, acknowledging that sitting at home due to the ban in October made her question her future as a tennis player.
“This experience, the most difficult in my life so far, taught me a lot,” Swiatek said. “Going back to playing, competing in the WTA Finals and Billie Jean King Cup gave me a lot of positive emotions and made me enjoy my game again. The whole thing will definitely stay with me for the rest of my life. It took a lot of strength, returning to training after this situation nearly broke my heart. There were many tears and lots of sleepless nights. The worst part of it was uncertainty.
“I didn’t know what was going to happen with my career, how things would end or if I would be allowed to play tennis at all, which is why I am so grateful to my family and my team. People who stood by me, no matter what, right from the very beginning. Everyone got together to help me.”
