by Marco Bonarrigo
The banned steroid is contained in an over-the-counter cream sold in pharmacies called Trofodermin
Once again, Clostebol metabolite, the anabolic steroid that has claimed dozens of victims (athletic) among athletes worldwide, now appears in connection with Jannik Sinner, the world number one in tennis, who was found twice positive for the substance (on March 10 and 18) first during a competition test at the Indian Wells tournament, and then eight days later in a surprise test.
The Sinner Case
The news was relayed on its website, after the disciplinary process was concluded, by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), which since 2021 (based on the models of athletics and cycling and prompted by ATP, ITF, WTA, and the organizers of the Grand Slams) conducts athlete testing and administers corresponding disciplinary proceedings independently, after decades in which tennis anti-doping was managed in a makeshift manner within federations.
The “Contamination”
“After each positive test for Sinner, a provisional suspension was applied — explains an ITIA statement — and on both occasions Sinner successfully appealed against the provisional suspension and was able to continue playing. The athlete explained that the substance entered his body due to contamination from a support team member, who had applied an over-the-counter spray (available in Italy) containing Clostebol on their skin to treat a small wound. That support team member applied the spray between March 5 and 13, during which time he also provided daily massages and sports therapy to Sinner, leading to unintentional transdermal contamination. After consulting scientific experts, who concluded that the player’s explanation was credible, the ITIA did not oppose the player’s appeals to revoke the provisional suspensions. A thorough investigation by ITIA followed, including multiple interviews with Sinner and his support team, all of whom fully cooperated with the process. Following this investigation, and in line with independent scientific opinion, the ITIA accepted the player’s explanation regarding the source of the Clostebol found in his urine sample and that the violation was unintentional.” Sinner was not suspended but only stripped of his ATP points (400) and the prize money earned at Indian Wells (around 300,000 euros) where he had played under the influence of the substance. The decision to keep the case confidential until the outcome of the process (which ended on August 14) is part of the prerogatives of the athlete and the court.
The Metabolite
The Clostebol metabolite in pharmacology is found only in an ointment and a spray sold in Italy under the name Trofodermin, which clearly states on the packaging “doping.” The drug combines an antibiotic with the steroid and treats wounds that are slow to heal, abrasions, and certain severe ulcers. The doping active ingredient is highly transmissible: just a small amount applied to the skin is enough for it to enter the bloodstream and produce a positive result. And even though it is practically impossible to conceive of intentional doping with such a substance, the penalties imposed by anti-doping tribunals can be very severe, particularly for professional athletes whose negligence can be deemed serious. If Atalanta defender Palomino was acquitted by the Anti-Doping Tribunal in 2023 (demonstrating that it was the doctor who advised him), the Norwegian cross-country skiing champion Therese Johaug was sentenced to 13 months because she personally purchased the drug without the necessary caution expected of an athlete of her rank. In the case of Paralympic champion Martina Caironi, the disqualification was reduced and effectively imposed on the doctor who prescribed the substance to her to treat the sores on the stump of her amputated leg without any risk assessment.
The Reconstruction
In Sinner’s case, the reconstruction of the doping scenario was likely decisive for his acquittal, along with the masseur admitting personal use of the ointment and the court accepting the athlete’s complete non-responsibility, who will need to be more careful in choosing those he employs in his staff: the risks of Trofodermin have been known to any masseur for at least twenty years.