The world of professional tennis has been met with significant news as the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced a two-year suspension for Indian national champion Dalwinder Singh. The decision, made public on Thursday, October 30, 2025, comes after Singh tested positive for the prohibited substance morphine.
Singh, who reached a career-high world singles ranking of 791 in April 2017, provided a positive sample for morphine in March 2025 while competing at an ITF World Tennis Tour event in Chandigarh. Morphine is listed under Narcotics (section S7 of the 2025 World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List) within the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme (TADP).
Given that morphine is classified as a ‘Specified substance,’ Singh was not subject to a mandatory provisional suspension and remained eligible to play while a full investigation was underway.
During his communication with the ITIA, Singh admitted to the Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV). He contended that he believed the morphine came from a pain-relief medication he took on the day of the positive test, which had been prescribed approximately 12 months earlier following wrist surgery.
However, Singh was unable to provide any verifiable evidence to support his claim, such as product packaging, receipts, or a prescription. This absence of supporting information meant he could not adequately establish the source of the prohibited substance, thus preventing any reduction in his level of fault.
Although the ITIA found no evidence to prove that Singh’s violation of the TADP was intentional, his failure to identify the source of the morphine led to a clear ruling. In accordance with established precedents and TADP regulations, a two-year suspension was proposed and accepted by the player. The period of ineligibility officially began on October 22, 2025, and will conclude on October 21, 2027.
Consequently, all results, prize money, and ranking points accumulated by Singh from the tournament where he tested positive have been forfeited.
The ITIA operates as an independent body, established by its tennis members to champion, promote, and protect the integrity of professional tennis events worldwide.