Iga Swiatek will have to show enormous mental resilience in dealing with carping critics

World No.2 and defending French Open champion Iga Swiatek may have got a clean chit from the ITIA (International Tennis Integrity Association) on doping charges, but the outrage on social media is something she will have to deal with very maturely. Since the time news broke out the Polish star had tested positive for prohibited substance Trimetazidine, it has been crazy. Iga, herself, had posted a video on social media last week how she had been taking medication to fight jet lag and sleep disturbance but was unaware of contamination in it. She pleaded innocence but people have not accepted it kindly.

For its part, the ITIA had suspended her for one month. Her ineligibility period ends on December 4, but what will be a hard battle for her is when she returns to tennis. Iga has got massive support from the WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) and their statement makes it clear they trust the ITIA fully. Where the ITIA has made an error is not announcing or making it public she had been placed under provisional suspension last month. If one goes through the lengthy ITIA order, due diligence has been done and Iga has been able to prove her innocence. “The WTA fully supports Iga during this difficult time. Iga has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to fair play and upholding the principles of clean sport, and this unfortunate incident highlights the challenges athletes face in navigating the use of medications and supplements,” says the WTA statement.

If one goes through various media reports and social media posts, there is little sympathy for Iga Swiatek. The way people had attacked Jannik Sinner, she faces the same trauma. Someone like Nick Kyrgios has taken a massive swipe at the whole sport of tennis and said it is “cooked.” Everyone knows Kyrgios is a maverick and has been baiting Sinner for months. To adopt the same path against Iga Swiatek without even going through what has happened makes him look like a social media baiter.

There are other prominent players and coaches as well who have ripped apart Iga Swiatek, with some asking if the ITIA has different yardsticks for different players and if the top guns get preferential treatment. After all, both Sinner, the World No.1 and Iga Swiatek, current World No2, have faced the doping storm this year.  Someone like Simona Halep, who also faced a long dope suspension has lashed out at the ITIA and hinted that there is preferential treatment to big players. Simona, herself, had won two Grand Slam titles and was fighting her case after testing positive for Roxadustat in October 2022. She was out for 18 months, a very trying period. Only coach Patrick Mouratglou kept posting on Linkedin she was innocent. By the time she got a clean chit, a lot of time had been wasted.

Simona did not mince words when she said she had been subjected to torture of sorts, mentally and ran from pillar to post. For her to see two players in Sinner and Swiatek come back to tennis faster is irksome. In the case of Jannik Sinner, when he played the initial rounds of the US Open in New York, the crowds were haunting him and showed their disgust. He also faced criticism from the top players, Novak Djokovic included. How he dealt with the coldness from players in the locker room in New York, Sinner has spoken of. At the same time, Sinner did not stop there. He again peaked at the ATP season finale and won in Turin, plus shone at the Davis Cup finals for Italy. He is aware, the WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) has dragged him CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sports) as they are not convinced with the way the ITIA dealt with the case. When the CAS hears it and what verdict will come out, none knows. Sinner has kept calm and shown he is Teflon coated.

For Iga Swiatek to do it will require a lot of effort. She played at the season-ending WTA Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and also the Billie Jean King Cup and did not mention doping to any player. That is why she is being slammed by the others who have played alongside her. Iga has also made some statements like how tough the tennis season is, in terms of a long calendar, very recently. So, now, even that comes in for flak as other players feel she is a “dope cheat.” Iga has been the queen on clay. How she will come back and deal with locker room smirk and sarcasm plus gossip from players and the social media hatred will be interesting to watch. The best of champions had trouble in dealing with trauma, where it concerns the mind. Can Iga battle all the negativity will define her in the 2025 season.