Former world primary Simona Halep has been charged with a second breach of anti-doping guidelines, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has confirmed.
Romanian Halep has been provisionally suspended since October 2022 for testing constructive for the banned substance roxadustat, which stimulates the manufacturing of crimson blood cells, on the US Open in August final 12 months.
Overnight, the ITIA mentioned the two-time Grand Slam winner has been additional charged “relating to irregularities in her athlete biological passport”.
The athlete organic passport program screens organic knowledge over time to establish potential doping violations.
Halep mentioned on Instagram that she felt “helpless facing such harassment” and denies the costs, suggesting she has been “a victim of a contamination”.
“I have lived the worst nightmare I have ever gone through in my life,” she mentioned.
“Not only has my name been soiled in the worst possible way, but I am facing a constant determination from the ITIA, for a reason that I cannot understand, to prove my guilt while I haven’t ever thought of taking an illicit substance.”
Halep mentioned she hoped to have the possibility to show her innocence at a listening to scheduled for the tip of May.
The ITIA mentioned it was persevering with discussions with an impartial tribunal and Halep’s representatives.
Nicole Sapstead, the ITIA’s senior director for anti-doping, mentioned: “We understand that today’s announcement adds complexity to an already high-profile situation.
“From the outset of this process — and indeed any other at the ITIA — we have remained committed to engaging with Ms Halep in an empathetic, efficient, and timely manner.”
Halep, 31, mentioned after her constructive check final October that she would “fight until the end” to clear her identify.
“Knowingly, I have not taken any banned substance,” the Romanian star informed tennismajors.com in an interview revealed final month.
“I am a big supporter of clean sports and have always been against doping. I had no clue at the beginning about where this substance came from.”
Halep received the French Open in 2018 and Wimbledon the next 12 months. She had climbed again into the world’s high 10 earlier than she was suspended having dropped out of the highest 20 in 2020 following harm issues.bur/ea
Originally revealed as Suspended tennis star Simona Halep charged with second doping breach
Source: www.news.com.au
