The tribunal accepted Halep’s argument that she had taken a contaminated supplement but found that the volume she ingested could not explain the high concentration of roxadustat in the positive sample. Halep refuses to accept the ban.
Simona Halep has received a four-year suspension for violating the tennis anti-doping program.
Simona Halep, a two-time Grand Slam champion, has been banned for two anti-doping rule violations, as confirmed by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA).
“The first (charge) related to an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) for the prohibited substance roxadustat at the U.S. Open in 2022, carried out through regular urine testing during competition,” the ITIA said in a statement.
“The tribunal accepted Halep’s argument that they had taken a contaminated supplement, but determined the volume the player ingested could not have resulted in the concentration of roxadustat found in the positive sample.
“The second charge related to irregularities in Halep’s Athlete Biological Passport (ABP).”
The ABP charge against Halep has been upheld due to unanimous expert agreement that “likely doping” was the reason for the irregularities in her profile. The case is open to appeal.
Halep denies knowingly taking a banned substance and claims that small amounts of the drug entered her system through a contaminated licensed supplement.
In a statement released shortly after the verdict, Halep said: “Today, a tribunal under the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme announced a tentative decision in my case. The last year has been the hardest match of my life, and unfortunately my fight continues.
“I have devoted my life to the beautiful game of tennis. I take the rules that govern our sport very seriously and take pride in the fact I have never knowingly or intentionally used any prohibited substance. I refused to accept their decision of a four-year ban.
“I am continuing to train and do everything in my power to clear my name of these false allegations and return to the court.
“I intend to appeal this decision to The Court of Arbitration for Sport and pursue all legal remedies against the supplement company in question.
“None of the listed ingredients included any prohibited substances. However, we now know – and the tribunal agreed – one of them was contaminated with roxadustat.
“The ITIA relied solely on the opinions of these experts who looked only at my blood parameters – which I’ve maintained for more than 10 years in the same range,
“This group ignored the fact no prohibited substance has ever been found in my blood or urine samples with the sole exception of one August 29 positive test for roxadustat.”
The former Wimbledon and French Open champion, aged 31, has been provisionally suspended since October 2022 for testing positive for the banned blood-booster roxadustat at the US Open last year.
Halep’s positive drugs test in October came as a shock to her, and she is determined to prove her innocence.
Roxadustat was previously linked to doping, with the United States Anti-Doping Agency investigating its use by athletes after receiving a tip-off.
The banned substance mentioned in the previous answer is similar to EPO as it promotes the production of red blood cells, enhancing endurance.
Halep turned professional in 2006 and made her WTA main draw debut in 2010 at the Andalucia Tennis Experience.
In 2014, she made her debut in a Grand Slam final, facing off against Sharapova at the French Open.
Simona Halep, a professional tennis player, achieved her first major victory at the 2018 French Open after experiencing previous losses in other tournaments. She continued her success by winning the Wimbledon title in 2019 by defeating Serena Williams.
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