ITIA'S POORLY WORDED ANTI-DOPING UPDATE: 'WHEN SHOWERING, ADHERE TO STAY IN FULL VIEW OF CHAPERONE'

Described as "disgusting" and "unacceptable", the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has updated its anti-doping program to allow chaperones to follow players into the showers after matches in a poorly written statement.

The ITIA have come under fire for mixed messaging and inconsistency after the controversial doping case involving world No.1 Jannik Sinner, who twice tested positive for an anabolic steroid last year.

New changes to the anti-doping program will immediately come into effect after matches, with the subject of showers raising eyebrows.

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Tennis journalist Jon Wertheim shared part of the ITIA's update via X.

"The ITIA and previously the ITF has worked hard to ensure that showers following matches can amount to a permissible delay to doping control, particularly when not showering could have a detrimental effect on the health and wellbeing of a player. However, showering is not an entitlement, and it is for this reason that the ITIA kindly requests that when showering, players adhere to the requirement to stay in full view of the chaperone observing them at all times. If a player is not comfortable being witnessed whilst showering, we would suggest that consideration is given to whether a shower is necessary before providing a doping control sample. Failure to remain in full view of the chaperone will be taken extremely seriously by the ITIA," the independent body wrote.

Renowned commentator Mark Petchey labelled the change "unacceptable".

But the message trying to be relayed by the ITIA is that they want players to undergo their regular doping test before showering to obtain the most accurate result.

Former Australian player Rennae Stubbs wrote on X: "We always have had to shower with the door open. The drug testing people were with us every minute from the moment we walked off court including watching us shower. I don't know [why] they're putting this out now."

One fan said: "It reads absolutely bonkers... but in practice it basically just says 'you should really pee in the cup before you shower, not after."

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