News, Reviews, Headlines for the world of Tennis (tennis news)
 | Šwiętek about the doping case: I spent about 70 thousand dollars on a lawyer and about 15 thousand euros on examinations and tests14-01-2025 |
Iga Šwiatek spent $70, 000 on a lawyer during the doping case. I know people always compare situations like this to what happened before, but each of these cases are completely different. And the process of proving innocence also varies. It is difficult to compare me with Sinner, Halep or Kamil Majchrzak, because each of us faced different circumstances.
My fate, like the fate of others, was in the hands of ITIA, and they determine how each case will develop. I believe that this process is objective, everything is done according to the rules and the player`s rating does not affect the decision. But is this really so, the question is for ITIA.
Of course, a high position in the ranking allowed me to immediately attract people who made every effort to help me. A few hours after I found out about the positive test, we all met and brainstormed. I hired a lawyer from the USA who specializes in such cases. The fact that I had already earned a lot and could spend money on protection without hesitation, of course, helped. I know that many athletes do not have such opportunities, and I understand that this may hinder them, because I paid all the expenses myself.
I spent about 70 thousand dollars on a lawyer and about 15 thousand euros on examinations and analyses. Also, I was deprived of my prize money for Cincinnati, but to be honest that didn`t matter to me. The most important thing was to prove innocence. I name these amounts so that people understand the problems that athletes face, especially those who do not earn as much on the court as I do and compete in sports where the income is much lower.
Of course, many people supported me, especially in private messages. I talked to many players, and almost all of them said that their biggest fear was that something similar could happen to them. They asked what I would do next. At the very beginning, when no one had read the documents yet, they asked what kind of melatonin I took. I felt their support and understanding, and I think most athletes realize that this can happen to them. But, of course, there are exceptions.
At first the main thing for me was simply to prove my innocence. When I proved it, what scared me most was the reaction of people and what associations they would have with me. I hope that, no matter what, they, like me, can put this story behind them.
I would have preferred the decision to say not guilty [rather than there being no significant fault or negligence on the player`s part, ] but I admit, for me it`s just paperwork and bureaucracy. The most important thing for me was that I could start the new season with a clean slate and focus on the game. When I found out that my disqualification would end in a little more than a week (it ended on December 4-Sports), I came to terms with the situation. The fact that I received such a punishment is just a formality. They had to follow the rules, because the decision is not determined by someone`s opinion - we must always follow established procedures. Even the decision to impose a one-month disqualification was dictated by procedures.
Shventek caught for doping - the same as Valie