Alleged doper Halep calls for help clearing her name

Photo: AFP

Former world number one Simona Halep has called on tennis’s anti-doping organisation to give her the chance to clear her name after she was provisionally suspended by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) in October.

The former Wimbledon and French Open champion was tested during last year’s U.S. Open and both her A and B samples confirmed the presence of banned blood-booster roxadustat.

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

In a statement the International Tennis Federation (ITF) said anti-doping cases are not their responsibility and are handled by the ITIA, which was established by the sport’s international governing bodies to oversee integrity matters such as doping and corruption.

In an interview with Tennis Majors, Halep’s first since learning of her failed drugs test, the Romanian said she has so far been denied her right to be heard by an independent court.

“I didn’t want to get out and talk because it was very emotional,” Halep, who at the time described her failed test as the biggest shock of her life, told Tennis Majors.

“Actually, 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.”

Halep says 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 24th should be cancelled,” Halep added. “I did not agree with that because as the rule says, a player that is provisionally suspended is entitled to get an expedited hearing. Everything takes so long.

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

Halep says she has undertaken 10 tests since her positive result, with all of them coming back negative. She now hopes to have a hearing in May but fears that may also be cancelled.

“I believe that it’s not fair to spend eight months without even being judged by the Tribunal. Emotionally, the whole period has not been easy,” the 31-year-old Halep said.

“I’m not asking for special treatment. I just ask to be judged. How much longer is this going to take?”

In a statement on Friday the ITF said: “The ITF has had no involvement in the management of this case, as the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme is managed and enforced by the ITIA on behalf of the ATP, WTA, ITF and Grand Slams.

In a separate statement the ITIA said the process was ‘ongoing’ in line with the World Anti-Doping Code.

Halep says she has taken heart from the support of the public and her coach Patrick Mouratoglou and is determined to come back and challenge for major titles again.

“It made me feel stronger to come back and work harder to get back to the level that I was at before, and even higher,” she said. “Until now, this is the hardest battle I’ve faced in my life and career. I love this sport and I want to play for the big titles again.”

Roxadustat stimulates the production of red blood cells much like the prohibited substance Erythropoietin (EPO).

– Reuters