One of the most striking undertones of the ongoing US Open is that Italian world number one Jannik Sinner will go unbanned despite testing positive twice for the banned substance clostebol. A number of teammates and former players have questioned the decision to allow him to compete during the secret legal proceedings against him.

Tennis star Roger Federer has now spoken out on the subject and lamented the negative impact that such news has on the sport. “That is not something we want to see in our sport, that kind of news, whether he did something or not, or any other player. That is just noise that we don’t want,” Federer said on today.com.

“I understand it’s a delicate situation. It’s every athlete’s and every team’s nightmare to have these accusations and problems because we fill out these forms all day long. And that stays with us. Every morning when you wake up you think, ‘Is someone coming to the door to test me?’ So it’s really difficult.”

The inconsistency is the real problem, says Federer

One of the most common criticisms of the authorities is that Sinner was allowed to compete despite the legal proceedings. Sinner’s coach, Darren Cahill, stressed that high-level players like Sinner have unequal financial cushions compared to lower-ranking athletes. Sinner’s team was able to afford expert legal representation and scientific analysis to support his case.

Federer, who won 20 Grand Slams in his illustrious career, also addressed concerns about the fairness of the process. “I understand the frustration when you ask yourself, ‘Was he treated the same as others?’ And I think that’s what it comes down to. I think we all have a pretty good level of confidence that Jannik didn’t do anything, but the inconsistency that he might not have had to sit out while they weren’t 100 percent sure what was going on, I think that’s the question that needs to be answered here. But look, it is what it is and we have to trust the process as well as everyone involved,” he said.