31-year-old Romanian tennis star Simona Halep is a two-time Grand Slam Champion.
She has been sidelined from the sport since Fall 2022 after receiving a provisional doping suspension from the International Tennis Federation (ITF).
Halep has proof that she took a supplement without knowing that the manufacturer had contaminated it with roxadustat, a drug that is used to treat anemia related to chronic kidney disease.
She has always been vigilant about what she ingests and was shocked to get the positive test result.
“I’ve always been careful to check all the components from the supplements to make sure that everything is authorized. I had no clue at the beginning about where this substance came from.”
She provided the proof to the ITF in December with the next step being an expedited hearing.
Halep had two previously scheduled dates for the hearing, February 28 and March 24, but the ITF canceled both hearings without explanation.
Her next hearing is scheduled for May 28, but given the ITF’s history of canceling the hearings, Halep has no guarantee it will actually happen.
Simona Halep Speaks Out
Halep has kept quiet through the months-long ordeal but felt the need to speak publicly for the first time on Thursday, April 27.
“I wanted to stay silent until the case would be solved. I didn’t want to get out and talk because it was very emotional. And actually, as I said, I couldn’t handle it very well. But now I feel the need to speak out loud to my supporters, my fans, and to the public because I am sure they really want to know why it’s taking so long and I really felt the need to do that. That’s why I am here today.”
"I sent the evidence to the ITF. They denied it." Simona #Halep explains her situation on Tennis Majors. pic.twitter.com/qHKySZms6C
— Tennis Majors (@Tennis_Majors) April 27, 2023
Halep’s Coach, Patrick Mouratoglou Is Helping Her Get Due Process
Patrick Mouratoglou becomes @Simona_Halep ‘s full-time coach pic.twitter.com/H8WoV9UMZp
— Andrei Nourescu (@AndreiNourescu) April 7, 2022
Her coach, Patrick Mouratoglou said Halep would never take a banned substance.
He is the co-founder and co-owner of Tennis Majors, the outlet Halep broke her silence and spoke with.
Mouratoglou said that ITF owes Halep an expedited hearing.
“After sending all the evidence of her contamination by a supplement in December to the ITF, @simona_halep is just asking for a quicker hearing and she is entitled to.”
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