Iga Swiatek, the World No. 2 tennis player and French Open champion, has agreed to a one-month suspension after testing positive for the banned substance trimetazidine (TMZ), according to the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA). Swiatek’s positive test came from an out-of-competition sample taken in August. However, the ITIA determined that the presence of TMZ was likely due to contamination from her melatonin medication, which was manufactured and sold in Poland. Swiatek had been using the melatonin to help with jet lag and sleep problems.
As the ITIA found no significant fault or negligence on her part, they offered her a one-month suspension, which Swiatek accepted. The suspension began with a provisional ban from September 22 to October 4, during which she missed three tournaments, contributing to the overall sanction. She now has eight days remaining on her suspension. Additionally, Swiatek will forfeit her prize money from the Cincinnati Open, the event held right after her positive test.
Iga Swiatek described testing positive for a banned substance as the “worst experience of my life.” In an Instagram post, Swiatek shared that the past 2.5 months had been filled with intense ITIA investigations, which ultimately confirmed her innocence. She explained that the positive test, the first in her career, revealed an incredibly low level of a substance she had never even heard of before, casting doubt on everything she had worked for.
Swiatek noted that both she and her team had endured significant stress and anxiety throughout the process. However, with the situation now fully explained, she feels relieved and ready to return to doing what she loves most.