Sinner calls back Ferrari, but not Naldi, a year after doping scandal

ROME - A year after the clostebol case, the world's number one tennis player has chosen to bring back the athletic trainer to his staff, but not the incriminating physiotherapist involved in the doping case, writes Il Fatto Quotidiano.

  Umberto Ferrara has returned to Jannik Sinner's staff, but the same will not happen to Giacomo Naldi, 34, a physiotherapist from Reggio Calabria. He was the cause for the Clostebol contamination that last year put the Alto Adige tennis player's career at risk.

  The substance, considered a doping agent and therefore illegal in competitions, came from Trofodermin, a drug that Naldi had received from the Atelico trainer. “I have been using it for years for a chronic condition. I knew it was banned, and I always kept it securely in my personal washbag,” Ferrara explained.

  In March 2024, two anti-doping tests for Sinner came back positive. This came after Naldi had applied healing spray containing the muscle-building clostebol, given to him by Ferrara, to a cut on his finger. Sinner managed to avoid suspension because he immediately proved accidental contamination, thanks to the testimonies of Naldi and Ferrara, who showed all the evidence of the purchase of Trofodermin and the exemption in his possession.

  In August, ITIA cleared Sinner, then came the appeal from WADA, which in the end avoided a confrontation and agreed on a three-month suspension. In the meantime, Sinner had fired both Ferrara and Naldi. Now, however, he has decided to call back the athletic trainer, after ending his relationship with Panichi and Badio.

  Giacomo Naldi, reached by Repubblica while on holiday with his family, would like to leave it all behind: ‘I have no intention of commenting. It's a story that has embittered me too much, it has damaged my image. When the time is right, we will talk about everything calmly,’ he explained. Almost a year after the incident, Naldi continues to work in his studio in the province of Bologna and still treats tennis players. His latest patient is Francesco Passaro from Perugia (ranked 121st), whom he helped recover from a recent injury. Now, he would like to move on and say no more. ‘Maybe one day I will, but right now it hurts too much,’ he concludes.

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