Five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek has accepted a one-month suspension following a positive test for the banned substance trimetazidine, a heart medication commonly referred to as TMZ. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) confirmed the suspension on Thursday, revealing that Swiatek had failed an out-of-competition drug test in August. The 23-year-old Polish tennis star admitted to the violation on Wednesday and accepted the penalty, explaining that the positive result was unintentional and resulted from contamination in a nonprescription melatonin supplement she had been using to manage jet lag and sleep issues.
The ITIA concluded that Swiatek’s level of fault was minimal, citing it as being “at the lowest end of the range for no significant fault or negligence.” Swiatek had already been provisionally suspended from September 12 to October 4, during which time she missed three tournaments. She will serve the remaining days of her suspension during the off-season and can return to competitive play on Monday.
Swiatek had initially stated that her absence from the Korea Open, China Open, and Wuhan Open was due to personal reasons, but it was later clarified as part of the suspension period.
In addition to the suspension, officials required Swiatek to forfeit her prize money from the Cincinnati Open, where she reached the semifinals and earned $158,944. Despite the disruption to her season, Swiatek expressed relief following the resolution of the matter, which she described as “the worst experience of my life.”
“In the last two and a half months, I was subject to strict ITIA proceedings, which confirmed my innocence,” Swiatek said in an Instagram video. “The only positive doping test in my career, showing unbelievably low levels of a banned substance I’d never heard of, put everything I’ve worked for my entire life into question. Both me and my team had to deal with tremendous stress and anxiety. Now, with everything clarified, I can return to doing what I love.”
Swiatek’s case follows a similar high-profile doping issue involving Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner, who was cleared of charges after testing positive for a steroid earlier this year. The authorities cleared both players of intentional wrongdoing, sparking broader conversations about the sport’s doping reputation.
ITIA CEO Karen Moorhouse addressed these concerns on Thursday, stating, “These are not cases of intentional doping. We’re dealing with inadvertent breaches of the rules. This shouldn’t cause concern for tennis fans as the transparency of the process shows the breadth and depth of our anti-doping program.”
Swiatek, who held the No. 1 ranking for much of the past two seasons, currently sits at No. 2 in the WTA rankings. She claimed her fifth Grand Slam title at the French Open in June and earned a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics in August. During her suspension, Aryna Sabalenka overtook her for the top spot.
The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) expressed support for Swiatek, emphasizing her commitment to fair play and clean sport. “Iga has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to fair play and upholding the principles of clean sport,” the WTA said in a statement. “This unfortunate incident highlights the challenges athletes face in navigating the use of medications and supplements.”
Trimetazidine (TMZ) has been a controversial substance in sports, with other high-profile cases involving its use, including that of Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva during the 2022 Winter Olympics, and 23 Chinese swimmers who remained eligible for the Tokyo Olympics despite testing positive for the substance in 2021.
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