Two time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep has been suspended for four years for two separate anti-doping rule violations.
According to The BBc, the International Tennis Integrity Agency stated that she was banned for two separate anti-doping rule violations.
The four-year ban was announced by an independent tribunal after they sat through two days of evidence from scientific experts, sifted through 8,000 pages of evidence, and also heard Halep herself.
The tribunal said it accepted Halep’s argument that she 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 chief executive officer at the ITIA, Karen Moorhouse, said, “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.
“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.”
The former Wimbledon and French Open champion, 31, who tested positive for the illegal blood-booster roxadustat at the U.S. Open last year, has been on a provisional suspension since October 2022.
