Only in tennis can a player be banned during off season

She was already provisionally suspended from September 12 to October 4, missing three tournaments during the post-US Open hard-court swing in Asia, but that provisional ban was ended after her appeal showed her test result came inadvertently from contaminated melatonin.

Because the ultimate agreement was for a month suspension, she will serve the remaining eight days now, while there is no competition, and be cleared to return to play as of December 4, in plenty of time for the start of the 2025 season in Australian later in the month.

I’m not for or against Iga but I find it absurd that a player can be banned during the offseason. In football or baskbetball you receive a ban for matches. ie 5 matches and off season friendlies don’t count.

Iga should be banned from the start of the new season which commences in January. The timing of the final decision should never benefit a player in any way.