SIMONA HALEP has been slapped with a whopping FOUR-YEAR ban for her anti-doping violation.
The former World No.1 tested positive for the prohibited anti-anaemia drug Roxadustat after last year’s US Open.
MEGASimon Halep failed a drugs test after last year’s US Open – testing positive for Roxadustat[/caption]
GETTYThe former World No.1 has been hit with a whopping FOUR-YEAR ban by the ITIA[/caption]
Roxadustat is on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s banned list due to its ability to increase haemoglobin and red blood cell count – which would be beneficial for an athlete in a cardiovascular-based sport.
The 2019 Wimbledon singles champion, 31, was hit with a provisional suspension by the International Tennis Integrity Agency last October.
The ITIA, upon further investigation, discovered further irregularities in the Romanian’s biological passport.
Halep revealed in May that her team had discovered that a tainted supplement was the cause of the positive test.
The ITIA accepted her explanation for the violation, but that hasn’t stopped them from slapping her with a four-year suspension.
An excerpt of a statement read: “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 ABP charge was also upheld, with the tribunal stating that they had no reason to doubt the unanimous “strong opinion” reached by each of the three independent Athlete Passport Management Unit (APMU) experts that “likely doping” was the explanation for the irregularities in Halep’s profile.
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“Halep has been provisionally suspended since October 2022, which the tribunal credited against the period of ineligibility.
“As such, the former world number one’s suspension will run from 7 October 2022 until 6 October 2026.”
Halep has the right to appeal her potentially career-ending ban.
ITIA Chief Executive Karen Moorhouse said of the suspension: “After a complex and rigorous hearing process, we welcome the independent tribunal’s decision.
“The volume of evidence for the tribunal to consider in both the roxadustat and ABP proceedings was substantial.
“The ITIA has followed the proper processes as we would with any other individual – in accordance with the World Anti-Doping Code – fulfilling our purpose and responsibility to uphold the principle of fair competition, on behalf of the sport.
“The panel recognised that appropriate procedure had been followed within the written decision.
GETTYSimona Halep insists she never intentionally took the prohibited substance found in her system[/caption]
“We do understand the significant public interest in these cases and remain committed to being as transparent as possible and the full decision will be published in due course.”
Halep has yet to react to her suspension, although she declared her innocence as soon as news of her failed test first became public.
She said: “Throughout my whole career, the idea of cheating never even crossed my mind once, as it is totally against all the values I have been educated with.
“Facing such an unfair situation, I felt completely confused and betrayed.
“I will fight until the end to prove that I never knowingly took any prohibited substance and I have faith that sooner or later, the truth will come out.
“It’s not about the titles or the money.
“It’s about honour and the love story I have developed with the game of tennis over the last 25 years.”
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