Simona Halep questions long delay in doping hearing

LONDON – Former world No. 1 Simona Halep has called on the International Tennis Federation (ITF) to give her the chance to clear her name after

she was provisionally suspended last October for failing a drugs test.

The Romanian former Wimbledon and French Open champion was tested during the 2022 US Open and both her A and B samples confirmed the presence of the banned blood-booster roxadustat.

Halep has strenuously denied knowingly taking the banned substance and said she has evidence which proved that low quantities of the anti-anaemia drug entered her body because of an authorised supplement that was contaminated.

In an interview with Tennis Majors on Thursday, she said she has so far been denied her right to be heard by an independent court.

“I didn’t want to talk because it was very emotional,” said the 31-year-old, who at the time described her failed test as the “biggest shock” of her life.

“I am a big supporter of clean sports and have always been against doping.

“I couldn’t handle it well. But now I feel the need to speak out loud to my supporters and to the public because I am sure they really want to know why it’s taking so long.”

Halep also said she sent evidence about the contamination to the ITF in December and hoped her case would be heard by an independent tribunal in February, but that it was postponed and then a new date in March had also been put back.

“The ITF requested that the hearing on March 24 should be cancelled. I did not agree because as the rule says, a player who is provisionally suspended is entitled to get an expedited hearing. Everything takes so long,” she added.

“I asked the ITF to lift my sanction to be able to play but they also refused it.”

Halep has undertaken 10 tests since her positive result, with all of them coming back negative. REUTERS, AFP