1 00:00:06,667 --> 00:00:10,427 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine 2 00:00:10,707 --> 00:00:13,547 Speaker 1: from News Talks EDB story. 3 00:00:13,187 --> 00:00:17,147 Speaker 2: That came out overnight that Yix Center, the men's world 4 00:00:17,187 --> 00:00:23,147 Speaker 2: tennis number one, has negotiated a three month ban for doping. 5 00:00:24,387 --> 00:00:28,147 Speaker 2: Quite remarkable he's been able to negotiate the Yanick Center 6 00:00:28,187 --> 00:00:29,987 Speaker 2: winning the Australian Open not so long ago. 7 00:00:35,507 --> 00:00:38,187 Speaker 3: Yeah, but no, No, that's a second center. 8 00:00:42,707 --> 00:00:47,507 Speaker 1: Three Sextuary seven, six six R. 9 00:00:49,787 --> 00:00:50,827 Speaker 3: It's a third pajo. 10 00:00:54,307 --> 00:00:58,867 Speaker 2: Quite simple to stop with her yan Accenter accepting an 11 00:00:58,867 --> 00:01:02,267 Speaker 2: immediate three month doping ban after he and the World 12 00:01:02,307 --> 00:01:06,307 Speaker 2: Anti Doping Agency reached a sentiment on his period of ineligibile, 13 00:01:06,707 --> 00:01:10,547 Speaker 2: which means he can return before the French Open in May. 14 00:01:11,067 --> 00:01:13,987 Speaker 2: The band began a week ago today February nine. Then 15 00:01:13,987 --> 00:01:15,907 Speaker 2: we'll end on May the fourth. He can return to 16 00:01:15,947 --> 00:01:19,787 Speaker 2: training in a few weeks time April thirteen. The French 17 00:01:19,827 --> 00:01:21,947 Speaker 2: Open main drawl starts May twenty five, so he's not 18 00:01:21,947 --> 00:01:27,787 Speaker 2: going to miss any Grand Slam action. Originally, before WADA 19 00:01:28,067 --> 00:01:30,587 Speaker 2: settled with Sinner, it was going to be heard by 20 00:01:30,587 --> 00:01:32,507 Speaker 2: the Court of Arbitration for Sport in a couple of 21 00:01:32,507 --> 00:01:35,467 Speaker 2: months time, and he could have faced a two year 22 00:01:35,667 --> 00:01:39,787 Speaker 2: ban joining us to discuss tennis. Commentator for New Zealand 23 00:01:39,867 --> 00:01:44,827 Speaker 2: tennis player Lee Radovanovitch on the program Afternoon League, What 24 00:01:45,027 --> 00:01:47,787 Speaker 2: was your reaction when you heard that Jannick Sinner had 25 00:01:47,867 --> 00:01:50,147 Speaker 2: negotiated a three month ban. 26 00:01:50,627 --> 00:01:54,347 Speaker 4: Yeah, my reaction was actually around the deal. I thought 27 00:01:54,387 --> 00:01:57,027 Speaker 4: it was a bit on the way that sort of 28 00:01:57,347 --> 00:01:59,227 Speaker 4: the statement was read in all the way that the 29 00:01:59,227 --> 00:02:02,187 Speaker 4: press has come out, seemed like they'd been negotiating a deal. 30 00:02:03,707 --> 00:02:07,827 Speaker 4: I would have thought if you've got a positive drug 31 00:02:07,907 --> 00:02:11,587 Speaker 4: test and you get banned, and they set the rules 32 00:02:11,627 --> 00:02:14,147 Speaker 4: and you take the punishment. So I was a bit surprised. 33 00:02:14,587 --> 00:02:16,507 Speaker 4: Not surprised that he got banned, but I was surprised 34 00:02:16,507 --> 00:02:18,667 Speaker 4: that there was a settlement as if they were negotiating. 35 00:02:19,307 --> 00:02:25,067 Speaker 4: And then also very convenient his three band in between 36 00:02:25,667 --> 00:02:28,147 Speaker 4: the Australian Open and the French Open, so he can 37 00:02:28,187 --> 00:02:31,307 Speaker 4: still play the French Open. So he was nicky to. 38 00:02:31,267 --> 00:02:34,587 Speaker 2: Me, I've never come across before. It doesn't feel like 39 00:02:34,667 --> 00:02:37,987 Speaker 2: there should be any bargaining power from the athlete who 40 00:02:38,027 --> 00:02:41,667 Speaker 2: was doped to be able to try and boggin down 41 00:02:41,707 --> 00:02:43,387 Speaker 2: or whittle down their suspension. 42 00:02:44,547 --> 00:02:47,067 Speaker 4: I completely agree with you. If you've been a naughty 43 00:02:47,067 --> 00:02:51,067 Speaker 4: boyan you get banned and you caught the band, right, 44 00:02:51,067 --> 00:02:54,107 Speaker 4: you take like a band. So yeah, I don't like it, 45 00:02:54,147 --> 00:02:56,627 Speaker 4: to be honest with you. It doesn't really affect them 46 00:02:56,667 --> 00:02:59,347 Speaker 4: in any way. Sure, he's going to take three months off, 47 00:02:59,387 --> 00:03:01,947 Speaker 4: He'll just train hard, he'll come back, play a couple 48 00:03:01,987 --> 00:03:04,787 Speaker 4: of toilets before the French Open, then be the favorite 49 00:03:04,827 --> 00:03:07,387 Speaker 4: or the second favorite for the French Open. Obviously it 50 00:03:07,427 --> 00:03:10,907 Speaker 4: tarnishes his reputation. But again, and you will see this 51 00:03:10,947 --> 00:03:15,187 Speaker 4: in a million sports, it just makes these antidope agencies 52 00:03:16,187 --> 00:03:17,307 Speaker 4: look ridiculous. 53 00:03:17,867 --> 00:03:20,427 Speaker 2: What message does it seem to not only I suppose 54 00:03:20,507 --> 00:03:24,347 Speaker 2: tennis players around the globe, but also any sporting athlete 55 00:03:25,227 --> 00:03:27,347 Speaker 2: that this is the kind of punishment that's been dished down. 56 00:03:28,507 --> 00:03:33,267 Speaker 4: Well, I think the punishment's fine. Three months. Look, I 57 00:03:33,307 --> 00:03:36,227 Speaker 4: get I get frustrated with the excuses. You know, we 58 00:03:36,307 --> 00:03:39,587 Speaker 4: had Eager soon Tech last year, which she was number 59 00:03:39,627 --> 00:03:42,347 Speaker 4: one of the world, taken one month ban for and 60 00:03:42,427 --> 00:03:45,787 Speaker 4: her excuse was I took a jet Lag pearl and 61 00:03:45,787 --> 00:03:50,947 Speaker 4: the jet Lab pearl was contaminated. Yeah. Whatever. And then 62 00:03:51,147 --> 00:03:57,587 Speaker 4: with Sinner, apparently his physio had a cut off his 63 00:03:57,707 --> 00:04:00,147 Speaker 4: hand and was using cream for that cut and that 64 00:04:00,307 --> 00:04:04,387 Speaker 4: somehow got into the sinner's system. And so the authorities 65 00:04:04,467 --> 00:04:08,267 Speaker 4: are saying that, well, he had no fault here, didn't 66 00:04:08,267 --> 00:04:12,427 Speaker 4: do it on purpose. That again, is a ridiculous explanation, 67 00:04:12,587 --> 00:04:12,987 Speaker 4: is it not. 68 00:04:13,587 --> 00:04:16,507 Speaker 3: Well the intention to check? Yeah, no, one. 69 00:04:16,387 --> 00:04:19,067 Speaker 4: Really been contaminated by my pay. I was cut on 70 00:04:19,107 --> 00:04:21,267 Speaker 4: his hands, who had some cream, like give me it breake. 71 00:04:21,427 --> 00:04:23,027 Speaker 2: He didn't intend to cheat, But I'm you know, I 72 00:04:23,027 --> 00:04:26,347 Speaker 2: think back to Sheriapova's case and she was taking heart 73 00:04:26,387 --> 00:04:29,227 Speaker 2: medicine and she was saying she didn't intend to cheat. 74 00:04:29,267 --> 00:04:31,587 Speaker 2: I'm sure there are any number of athletes that don't 75 00:04:31,587 --> 00:04:34,547 Speaker 2: intend to cheat, or at least say they don't intend 76 00:04:34,627 --> 00:04:36,467 Speaker 2: to cheat. But just because you've said it doesn't make 77 00:04:36,507 --> 00:04:36,867 Speaker 2: it true. 78 00:04:37,947 --> 00:04:41,627 Speaker 4: Yeah, absolutely, It's just I mean, whether it be tennis 79 00:04:41,707 --> 00:04:43,747 Speaker 4: or another athlete, these kind of stories, they come up 80 00:04:43,787 --> 00:04:46,107 Speaker 4: with a crazy to need. But I just don't like 81 00:04:46,147 --> 00:04:48,147 Speaker 4: the fact that it seems like they've done a deal, 82 00:04:48,347 --> 00:04:49,987 Speaker 4: and it's a bit of a sweetheart deal because he 83 00:04:49,987 --> 00:04:52,787 Speaker 4: doesn't really miss anything major that's going to affect him, right, 84 00:04:52,827 --> 00:04:56,987 Speaker 4: he's what's his goals and tennis win Grand Slams? So 85 00:04:57,107 --> 00:05:00,427 Speaker 4: really serious, the banded for longest, So miss grand slaps. 86 00:05:00,787 --> 00:05:03,627 Speaker 2: You were athlete, Sure you were drug tested throughout your career. 87 00:05:03,707 --> 00:05:05,827 Speaker 2: Surely the onus is on the athletes to know exactly 88 00:05:05,907 --> 00:05:08,027 Speaker 2: what's going on into their body or on their body 89 00:05:08,747 --> 00:05:11,587 Speaker 2: at any one time because there are so many restrictions 90 00:05:11,587 --> 00:05:13,547 Speaker 2: and so many rules about what you can and can't take. 91 00:05:14,307 --> 00:05:16,787 Speaker 4: Yeah. Absolutely, the player is not responsible for himself, but 92 00:05:16,827 --> 00:05:20,307 Speaker 4: it's also responsible for its entire team. Remember, these guys 93 00:05:20,467 --> 00:05:24,067 Speaker 4: individually are a visitors. They employ lots of people physios, 94 00:05:24,307 --> 00:05:26,787 Speaker 4: to as traveling coaches, you name it. It's one hundred 95 00:05:26,787 --> 00:05:29,267 Speaker 4: percent of their responsibility to take care of themselves. And 96 00:05:29,307 --> 00:05:32,387 Speaker 4: it's not like these guys don't get tested. They need 97 00:05:32,427 --> 00:05:34,547 Speaker 4: to be available one hour a day, three hundred and 98 00:05:34,587 --> 00:05:37,547 Speaker 4: sixty five days a year to take a drug test 99 00:05:37,627 --> 00:05:40,947 Speaker 4: are required, So it's not like there's protocols in place. 100 00:05:41,027 --> 00:05:43,107 Speaker 4: But you know, if you make a mistake, then you 101 00:05:43,187 --> 00:05:45,067 Speaker 4: pay the price, but you should pay a heavy. 102 00:05:44,827 --> 00:05:47,067 Speaker 3: Price if you were still playing. 103 00:05:47,627 --> 00:05:50,627 Speaker 2: What would your reaction to playing Yannick cinner b And 104 00:05:50,667 --> 00:05:52,627 Speaker 2: what do you think that the locker room reception might 105 00:05:52,667 --> 00:05:56,067 Speaker 2: be around the globe when he gets back into playing tennis. 106 00:05:56,947 --> 00:05:59,027 Speaker 4: I think people will just roll their eyes and say, oh, yeah, 107 00:05:59,027 --> 00:06:03,267 Speaker 4: there's another one of those. Look. I don't think let's 108 00:06:03,267 --> 00:06:06,707 Speaker 4: say hypothetically he was taking performance and hardship drugs. I 109 00:06:06,747 --> 00:06:09,427 Speaker 4: don't think that would give him a massive advantage because 110 00:06:09,987 --> 00:06:11,787 Speaker 4: if he's doing stuff like that, the other guys are 111 00:06:11,827 --> 00:06:14,747 Speaker 4: doing it. To any endurance sport out there where players 112 00:06:14,827 --> 00:06:17,947 Speaker 4: are getting paid millions of dollars. I think you know 113 00:06:18,147 --> 00:06:21,707 Speaker 4: you covered Comwealth Games and Olympic Games, the takers are 114 00:06:21,707 --> 00:06:24,587 Speaker 4: always ahead of the testers. So in terms of the 115 00:06:24,587 --> 00:06:26,587 Speaker 4: players in the locker room, I think they just move 116 00:06:26,667 --> 00:06:28,147 Speaker 4: on and it's just part of the deal. 117 00:06:29,067 --> 00:06:31,667 Speaker 2: Do you think there'll be a black mark from a 118 00:06:31,827 --> 00:06:35,467 Speaker 2: worldwide perspective on Cinners as his career goes forward, a 119 00:06:35,507 --> 00:06:38,227 Speaker 2: bit of a black mark on whatever legacy leaves or 120 00:06:38,267 --> 00:06:40,347 Speaker 2: will it be sort of forgotten in six months time? 121 00:06:41,467 --> 00:06:44,227 Speaker 4: Totaler forgotten in six months time? Would be my thought 122 00:06:44,307 --> 00:06:45,747 Speaker 4: that there'll be in the news for the next couple 123 00:06:45,787 --> 00:06:48,947 Speaker 4: of days and then he'll come back and he'll start 124 00:06:48,987 --> 00:06:51,347 Speaker 4: winning again and things will just go back to normal, 125 00:06:51,387 --> 00:06:53,227 Speaker 4: would be my strong opinion on that one. 126 00:06:53,387 --> 00:06:55,067 Speaker 3: We've read a vane it's with us on newstalk Z. 127 00:06:55,547 --> 00:06:58,147 Speaker 2: He's back eligible obviously, as you touched on earlier, he 128 00:06:58,587 --> 00:07:01,907 Speaker 2: finishes and wins the Australian Open, back for the French 129 00:07:01,947 --> 00:07:03,907 Speaker 2: in time. In fact, I think the first tournament eligible 130 00:07:03,947 --> 00:07:06,627 Speaker 2: he's back for is an event in his time entry 131 00:07:06,667 --> 00:07:09,427 Speaker 2: in Rome. So really he's not missing too much of 132 00:07:09,427 --> 00:07:11,387 Speaker 2: the big stuff in tennis at the moment. 133 00:07:11,227 --> 00:07:11,387 Speaker 3: Is he. 134 00:07:12,307 --> 00:07:14,427 Speaker 4: No, he's not. As I said earlier, his goal in 135 00:07:14,507 --> 00:07:16,867 Speaker 4: tennis will be to be Thember one and win Grand Slamp. 136 00:07:16,947 --> 00:07:19,667 Speaker 4: So he'll go away, he'll train, He'll be in Luble 137 00:07:19,707 --> 00:07:21,507 Speaker 4: shapes for the next three months. It might even be 138 00:07:21,547 --> 00:07:23,867 Speaker 4: good for him to take a break and work on 139 00:07:23,907 --> 00:07:25,667 Speaker 4: whatever it is he wants to work on his game. 140 00:07:26,227 --> 00:07:28,907 Speaker 4: And you know you would, you could install him right 141 00:07:28,947 --> 00:07:31,307 Speaker 4: now as a favorite for the French asplet after his. 142 00:07:31,347 --> 00:07:35,227 Speaker 2: Band and just finally, Lee, I guess the president. Do 143 00:07:35,227 --> 00:07:36,987 Speaker 2: you think there's been a precedent said here that you 144 00:07:37,027 --> 00:07:39,107 Speaker 2: can negotiate with you know, whether it's just a bit 145 00:07:39,107 --> 00:07:42,267 Speaker 2: of hang cream or whatever, it might be that if 146 00:07:42,267 --> 00:07:45,387 Speaker 2: you were done for a positive TESTE then WADA is 147 00:07:45,427 --> 00:07:47,387 Speaker 2: willing to bargain with some athletes. 148 00:07:47,827 --> 00:07:51,027 Speaker 4: Well, absolutely, I mean every Segue athlete, if they are 149 00:07:51,067 --> 00:07:52,747 Speaker 4: in trouble, are going to try to do that now, right, 150 00:07:53,507 --> 00:07:55,787 Speaker 4: Maybe he's got a bit more bargaining power because he's 151 00:07:56,027 --> 00:07:58,307 Speaker 4: number one in the world and tennis doesn't want to 152 00:07:58,307 --> 00:08:03,147 Speaker 4: look bad. And perhaps I've had a history of kind 153 00:08:03,147 --> 00:08:07,067 Speaker 4: of sweeping things under the Romans or you know, past players. 154 00:08:07,067 --> 00:08:09,507 Speaker 4: But yeah, if you're a top class athlete around the 155 00:08:09,507 --> 00:08:12,227 Speaker 4: world in any sport, you can try to negotiate immediately 156 00:08:12,267 --> 00:08:12,507 Speaker 4: on you. 157 00:08:13,827 --> 00:08:16,067 Speaker 2: It's fascinating time in the world of tennis and the 158 00:08:16,067 --> 00:08:18,907 Speaker 2: world of doping. Lee Radovanovitch, thanks for your time with 159 00:08:18,987 --> 00:08:20,987 Speaker 2: us here on news Talk zb this afternoon. 160 00:08:21,067 --> 00:08:21,747 Speaker 3: Nice to catch up. 161 00:08:22,187 --> 00:08:23,067 Speaker 4: Okay, good talk to you. 162 00:08:23,547 --> 00:08:25,547 Speaker 2: Thanks, Lee, appreciate your time with us here on news 163 00:08:25,587 --> 00:08:26,267 Speaker 2: Talk ZIBB. 164 00:08:26,867 --> 00:08:30,027 Speaker 1: For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live 165 00:08:30,147 --> 00:08:33,547 Speaker 1: to News Talk ZIBB weekends from midday or follow the 166 00:08:33,587 --> 00:08:35,067 Speaker 1: podcast on iHeartRadio.