GENEVA (AP) 鈥� The World Anti-Doping Agency has yet to decide whether to appeal the decision to exonerate of blame for his , and has another three weeks to do so.
WADA shared details of the appeal deadline with The Associated Press on Tuesday showing that the World Anti-Doping Code 鈥� the global set of rules for international sports 鈥� gives the Montreal-based agency at least until the end of September to file an appeal in the Sinner case.
WADA and Nado Italia, Italy鈥檚 anti-doping agency, are the only two agencies that could challenge the on Aug. 20.
While the doping rules state that any other party with a right to appeal 鈥� such as Nado Italia 鈥� has 21 days to do so, WADA then gets another 21 days on top of that before its own window closes.
Tuesday marks the 21st day since the ruling by a three-judge panel in London was announced, but Nado Italia has yet to file an appeal.
However, it was unclear whether the initial 21-day deadline expired Tuesday, since that window opens only after all the parties receive the verdict and supporting documents, which can be at least a few days or more after the announcement, according to the tennis integrity agency.
鈥淭he deadline for filing an appeal to the CAS will be 21 days from the date of receipt of the reasoned decision in question by the appealing party,鈥� the says.
Then WADA has another 21 days to file an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Sinner tested positive twice for an anabolic steroid in March but ultimately was not banned because the ITIA determined he was not to blame. Sinner's accepted explanation was that entered his system unintentionally through a massage from his physiotherapist, who used a spray containing the steroid to treat their own cut finger.
The doping case was kept secret until last month鈥檚 announcement and the top-ranked Sinner went on to beat Taylor Fritz in the U.S. Open final on Sunday.
An appeal could jeopardize his U.S. Open title but Sinner and his legal team have provided detailed evidence that persuaded the ITIA and the tribunal judges that his explanation was credible.
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Dampf reported from Rome.
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AP tennis:
Graham Dunbar And Andrew Dampf, The Associated Press
