Caney’s Corner: Eyes on Kody’s life in the fast lane

The best male tennis player on the planet right now thought it was game, set and match.Jannik Sinner was cleared of any blame last month by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) despite twice testing positive for a banned substance earlier this year.And despite the doubts that may forever exist from many around the controversial matter, the Italian didn’t allow himself to take his eye off the ball and somehow won the US Open.But now, he’s been served with a new challenge to try and overcome after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) decided to appeal the decision from the ITIA. It stated the independent tribunal’s decision to declare Sinner had no fault or negligence was “not correct under the applicable rules”. To further raise eyebrows, WADA has insisted the world No.1 should be banned for “between one and two years”.It’s a staggering development in a saga that has rocked the sport to its very core with seemingly everyone having an opinion.The case centres around the fact that the man who also won the Australian Open in 2024 tested positive for low levels of a steroid called clostebol – something that can be used to build muscle mass – during the Indian Wells tournament in March. Sinner was provisionally suspended but challenged the decision and could continue playing, albeit with a shadow cast over his participation. His defence claimed he was inadvertently contaminated by the banned substance as a result of his physio’s actions.Giacomo Naldi used an over-the-counter spray to treat a cut in his own hand and that’s how it got into Sinner’s system as the result of a massage.To confuse matters, even though the player was ruled not to blame, he was still stripped of his ranking points and prize money for reaching the last four at Indian Wells. The Italian duo are no longer working together but their names remain in the spotlight as a result of WADA’s actions, a move Carlos Alcaraz has described as “not really a good sign for tennis”.“I feel for him” he added when interviewed at the China Open. Questions around fairness of the process have dogged the matter with Novak Djokovic querying “whether it is a case of the funds” being available to challenge such rulings.Either way, it’s a story that looks like it’s going to rumble on and continues to cast doubt over the accomplishments of a player who will forever, in some eyes, always be seen as a Sinner because of this saga.n I read with great interest my colleague Greg Plummer’s article on a karting talent last week. At the age of just nine, Kody Vertigan is already celebrating winning championships – just a year after stepping into a kart for the very first time.And the Gaywood youngster’s exploits reminded me very much of the last schoolboy karter I spent a lot of time covering the achievements of.While working for a weekly newspaper in Cambridgeshire, I spent plenty of time dealing with the parents and sister of a certain George Russell – who would often be happy to take the phone and give his own take on some hugely promising results.He was tipped to make Formula 1 back then and I remember thinking: ‘Oh, another one who won’t make it’. Russell proved me wrong and showed that with the right talent, and opportunities, the path to the top is very viable.Here’s hoping Vertigan can get similar support from businesses to work his way up the ladder – hopefully to F1 too.n It was upsetting to hear about a West Brom fan dying after falling ill during a game at the weekend.The man, now named as Mark Townsend, suffered a medical episode in the stands at Sheffield Wednesday’s Hillsborough ground and later died. There were plenty of tributes paid across social media but also plenty of anger given the circumstances behind the tragic incident.The match was not stopped and plenty in attendance have now suggested the Baggies’ fan would have stood a better chance of surviving had it been.It’s difficult to know if that’s definitely the case but any chance to speed up treatment should always be taken – including making the players leave the field of play.It would have been a deeply upsetting experience for anyone who witnessed it in the away end and I’m sure most would have had few complaints if the match was abandoned either. Both clubs are investigating the circumstances and one can only hope there’s no realisation that a tragedy could have been avoided.Rumblings about the suitability of the stadium’s facilities are causing plenty of angst given previous heartbreaking events on the terraces there but people must focus on the facts.More importantly, a fan lost his life on Saturday; may he rest in peace and his family be allowed to grieve.