Simona Halep now faces a double dose of doping costs.
Former world No. 1 Halep, who has been provisionally suspended since October 2022 after testing optimistic for the banned drug Roxadustat, has been hit with a separate doping cost, the International Tennis Integrity Agency announced today.
“Romanian tennis participant Simona Halep has been charged with an extra and separate breach of the Tennis Anti-Doping Program (TADP), regarding irregularities in her Athlete Organic Passport (ABP),” the ITIA introduced in an announcement.
The ITIA emphasised this doping violation is totally different and separate from the prevailing Roxadustat cost from August 2022 which launched Halep’s authentic provisional suspension.
Combating for her aggressive future, the 31-year-old Halep hit again on the costs slamming the ITIA for what she calls “harassment.”
Halep claims she is the sufferer of contamination and says “three world famend consultants” have “clearly established that I’ve been the sufferer of a contamination.”
“As soon as once more, all my life I’ve been completely towards any kind of dishonest,” Halep mentioned.
— Simona Halep (@Simona_Halep) May 19, 2023
This has change into a contentious case with Halep suggesting the ITIA has deliberately stalled her case.
“I stay up for lastly having the ability to current my case at my listening to that’s scheduled on the finish of Could after a number of delays by the ITIA,” Halep mentioned.
The ITIA counters it “can be inappropriate” to touch upon particulars of the cost till Halep and her workforce have been given alternative to formally reply.
“We perceive that in the present day’s announcement provides complexity to an already high-profile state of affairs,” Nicole Sapstead, Senior Director for Anti-Doping on the ITIA mentioned. “From the outset of this course of – and certainly every other on the ITIA – now we have remained dedicated to participating with Ms. Halep in an empathetic, environment friendly, and well timed method.
“We do, in fact, admire there may be a substantial amount of media curiosity in these instances. It might be inappropriate for us to touch upon specifics till the conclusion of the method, however we are going to proceed to have interaction with the Sport Resolutions unbiased tribunal and Ms. Halep’s representatives as expeditiously as potential.”
The 2019 Wimbledon champion has strenuously denied she knowingly doped at any time.
“I’ve been provisionally suspended for 8 months though I’ve despatched all of the proof relating to my contamination to the ITF final December,” Halep instructed Tennis Majors in an interview final month. “I don’t ask for any particular remedy. I simply ask to have the ability to get judged by the Tribunal.
“I really feel it’s unfair and I’m asking: how lengthy is it going to final?”
