Two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep has been suspended 4 years due to two separate anti-doping violations, the International Tennis Integrity Agency announced this week.
“The final yr has been the toughest match of my life, and sadly my battle continues,” Halep said on Tuesday. “I’ve devoted my life to the gorgeous sport of tennis. I take the principles that govern our sport very critically and take delight within the truth I’ve by no means knowingly or deliberately used any prohibited substance. I refused to just accept their resolution of a four-year ban.”
The Romania-born participant has been provisionally suspended since October 2022 after testing constructive for Roxadustat, a medication what is often used to deal with anemia and is taken into account a banned blood-booster by the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme.
Halep’s second cost was associated to irregularities in her Athlete Organic Passport primarily based on assortment and evaluation of 51 blood samples.
“The quantity of proof for the tribunal to contemplate in each the roxadustat and ABP proceedings was substantial,” stated ITIA CEO Karen Moorhouse in a press release, “The ITIA has adopted the correct processes as we might with every other particular person — in accordance with the World Anti-Doping Code — fulfilling our function and accountability to uphold the precept of truthful competitors, on behalf of the game.”
Nonetheless, the 31-year-old has maintained her innocence. Halep stated she adjusted her dietary dietary supplements forward of the 2022 hardcourt season upon suggestion of her staff and physiotherapist.
“Not one of the listed substances included any prohibited substances nonetheless we now know — and the tribunal agreed — certainly one of them was contaminated with roxadustat,” Halep stated. “I used to be examined virtually weekly after my preliminary constructive take a look at by means of early 2023, all of which got here again destructive.”
Halep was ranked world No. 1 in singles twice between 2017 and 2019. She received the 2018 French Open by defeating American Sloane Stephens within the last. Halep received her second main title after taking down Serena Williams on the 2019 Wimbledon last.
The suspension is about to run from Oct. 7, 2022, till October 6, 2026, however the case remains to be topic to enchantment.
