Iga Swiatek truthfully confessed that her sturdy monetary standing helped her act rapidly and rent the most effective of the most effective to assist her cope with the doping situation but in addition famous that she did not remorse a bit spending practically $100k as a result of a very powerful factor was to clear her title.
In the course of the WTA 1000 event in Cincinnati in early August, the five-time Grand Slam champion was picked by the anti-doping officers for testing. On September twelfth – only a week after concluding her US Open marketing campaign – the world No. 2 was knowledgeable by the ITIA that one in every of her samples returned as optimistic for doping.
The second Swiatek realized what the e-mail was about, she began to panic and cry closely, simply as if “somebody died.”
“My response was very violent. It was a mix of incomprehension and panic. There was a number of crying. We get a notification by electronic mail and by textual content message when there’s a drawback or when we have to full one thing within the paperwork. I opened the e-mail and thought it was a notification that gamers mechanically get after they must do one thing,” Anita Werner on Fakty po Faktach on TVN24.
“However this time it turned out that the e-mail was far more critical. Typically, I wasn’t in a position to learn it to the tip, as a result of I used to be already drenched in tears. My managers mentioned that my response was as if somebody had died or one thing critical had occurred to my well being. I’m glad I wasn’t alone, as a result of I used to be in a position to hand them the telephone and present them what occurred.”
Swiatek: We had an emergency assembly, then I employed top-of-the-line legal professionals
After the preliminary panic and disbelief, the 23-year-old accepted that there was an enormous drawback and that she wanted to behave rapidly. That is when the complete staff gathered for an emergency assembly to debate what to do subsequent. Throughout their session, everybody agreed that they wanted to rent the most effective of the most effective to cope with the difficulty – they caught the wind of top-of-the-line legal professionals for such instances – and that is how the method of making ready her protection began.
“The truth that I’ve such a place has positively made me collect individuals round me who, as quickly as I came upon about this example, bent over backwards to assist me. A couple of hours after I came upon, all of us met and had a brainstorming session. I employed a lawyer from the [United] States who specialised in such instances,” Swiatek highlighted.
“The truth that I had already earned some huge cash and will afford to spend it on my defence, with out even blinking a watch, has positively helped. I do know that many athletes shouldn’t have such alternatives and I feel that is one thing that will maintain them again, as a result of I really paid for the complete course of.”
Swiatek: $70k went on a lawyer, €15k on different stuff
Early within the course of, the important thing for the Pole was to learn how a banned substance acquired into her physique. And it did not take lengthy earlier than they decided that it got here by means of non-prescription melatonin remedy drugs that have been manufactured in Poland. That remedy was contaminated with banned substance trimetazidine (TMZ).
Then, Swiatek appealed to the ITIA and it was successful as her provisional suspension was canceled – she was allowed to play the WTA Finals however the investigation into her case nonetheless did not end. And when it concluded, it was dominated that the 23-year-old “bore no vital fault or negligence” for what occurred and that she did not deliberately or knowingly take the prohibited substance.
She was handed a one-month ban on November twenty seventh, with solely eight extra days left to serve.
“I spent about $70,000 on a lawyer, €15,000 on knowledgeable opinions and checks. On high of that, there was additionally the lack of the monetary prize for Cincinnati, however – to be trustworthy – it didn’t matter to me. Crucial factor was to show my innocence. I give these quantities to be able to make individuals notice the issues confronted by athletes who don’t make as a lot cash as I do on the courtroom and play sports activities by which salaries are a lot decrease,” Swiatek revealed.
After going by means of what she described as “the hardest battle of my life,” all of it ended effectively for the four-time French Open winner, whose ban expired on Wednesday and she’s going to have the ability to begin her 2025 season in time.
In late December, Swiatek plans to play for Poland on the United Cup forward of the Australian Open.
