Jannik Sinner is set to be able to defend his Australian Open title with the appeal against his doping sanction not set to be heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) before the tournament begins in January.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is seeking a “period of ineligibility of one or two years” after an independent tribunal convened by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) found the Italian bore “no fault or negligence” for two separate adverse analytical findings.

Sinner tested positive for the banned anabolic steroid clostebol on two occasions in March of this year, in-competition at the BNP Paribas Open held in Indian Wells and out of competition eight days later.

Sinner was stripped of the ranking points and prize money he won for taking victory in Indian Wells but was allowed to continue competing. Any overturning of the initial verdict could see the 23-year-old barred from competing in the sport at all levels.

The world No. 1, who said he was “surprised” by WADA’s decision to appeal, has continued playing with the doping allegations hanging over him since and is set to do so again in Melbourne.

CAS published its latest list of hearings on Thursday with Sinner’s not listed to be heard between now and February 11. The Australian Open is scheduled to take place between January 12 and 26.

“Obviously I’m very disappointed and also surprised of this appeal, to be honest, because we had three hearings. All three hearings came out very positively for me,” Sinner said in September following confirmation of WADA’s decision.

“We always talk about the same thing. Maybe they just want to make sure that everything is in the right position.”

An independent tribunal convened by the ITIA and conducted by Sports Resolutions ruled that Sinner bore “no fault or negligence” for the positive tests in a hearing on August 15, but still found Sinner committed two anti-doping violations.

It accepted Sinner’s explanation that his physiotherapist, Umberto Ferrara, had brought an over-the-counter healing spray containing clostebol to Indian Wells. His trainer, physiotherapist, Giacomo Naldi, cut his hand, and then used the spray on that cut. Naldi then conducted massages on Sinner, which led to transdermal contamination with the clostebol from the healing spray.

WADA is challenging the decision that Sinner was not at fault for his violation.

Sinner parted company with both Naldi and Ferrara on the eve of the U.S. Open, which he went on to win by beating Taylor Fritz in the final.

GO DEEPER

Tennis Briefing: Jannik Sinner’s sublime season awaits CAS verdict, Elena Vesnina retires

(Top photo: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images for ITF)