‘Data is not steroids’: Whoop chief blasts Australian Open for ‘absurd’ decision to force tennis stars to remove track
- Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner ordered to remove their Whoop bands at Australian Open
- Whoop CEO Will Ahmed has spoken out about the issue, saying the situation is ‘ridiculous’.
- A spokesperson for Whoop also contacted TechRadar, confirming its position that ‘blocking access to personal health data does not protect the sport’
Whoops are one of the best (albeit very expensive) location fitness trackers, especially in the viewing area. Designed to facilitate and inform data-driven training strategies, Whoop bands are used by all kinds of top athletes around the world – including top tennis stars like current women’s world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and current world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz.
“The reason why I wore that on the court, is because we received an email saying that we got permission from the ITF to wear this device. I didn’t know that the grand slams didn’t come to an end,” Sabalenka told the media after her victory over Iva Jovic. “Only to track my health.” Sabalenka, by default, is a Whoop ambassador, so there may be an unpublished commercial element to the dispute.
Whoop CEO Will Ahmed posted a video of Alcaraz being asked to remove his tracker on social media, commenting: “It’s funny. The Whoop is approved by the International Tennis Federation to be worn during a match and does not pose a safety risk.
“Let athletes measure their body. Data is not steroids!”
Which is funny. The Whoop is approved by the International Tennis Federation for in-game wear and does not pose a safety hazard. Let the athletes balance their bodies. Data is not steroids! https://t.co/fC3JX6VldmJanuary 25, 2026
Whoop’s official position
I reached out to Whoop to see what the company had to say. The spokesman responded with the following statement:
“WHOOP believes that athletes have a fundamental right to understand their performance and health – including during competition at events such as the Australian Open. WHOOP is approved by the International Tennis Federation to be worn during a match and does not pose a safety, fairness, or competitive risk.”
“Restricting access to personal health data does not protect sports. WHOOP will continue to stand with athletes and our members to protect their right to access information.”
The role of data in athletics
Today’s athletes understand more about their bodies than they did 20, or even 10 years ago. Besides using stopwatches and pedometers, we now have devices such as the best smartwatches and fitness trackers that can generate accurate form and recovery information. Athletes now have more information to go on, which helps them understand how and when to push their limits.
I understand the temptation to wear the Whoop during games, not just during preparation, so that the athlete’s team understands their wasted effort in time, and the recovery process after every game. There is no question that the proliferation of data collection affects athletes on and off the field.
However, if the Whoop is allowed to be worn on court by the International Tennis Federation, there is a clear distinction between that decision and the banning of fitness trackers from this year’s Australian Open.
Whoop also seems to be operating within commercial rules. The Australian Open website also lists player sponsorship rules: “At the Australian Open, players are allowed two commercial (non-manufacturer) logos on their clothing, each no larger than three square inches.
“Manufacturer logos are treated separately and are allowed in some areas (such as the shirt front, back or collar) but must remain small. Shorts and skirts may have limited manufacturer’s marks, while tights have their own narrow allowances.”
A small Whoop logo seems unlikely to violate these rules. It could be argued that the design itself is iconic, but there has been a recent rise in Whoop clones such as the Polar Loop and the Amazfit Helio Strap.
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