Simona Halep issues statement after being suspended from tennis for doping, says “I feel completely confused and betrayed”
Simona Halep
Simona Halep, the former World No. 1 and 2-time Grand Slam champion has been suspended from all tennis activities. A sample provided by the Romanian at the 2022 US Open revealed the violation of the drug policy by Halep. Following the test results, the International Tennis Integrity Agency has suspended her.
Halep has been suspended from all tennis activities on the Tour with effect immediately. As per the findings of the Integrity Agency, Halep was caught for having Roxadustat, a prohibited substance listed in the 2022 World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List.
The player however has come forward and issued a statement pleading her innocence and complete cooperation in clearing the charges. While the WTA is yet to comment on the situation, Halep’s decision to end her season prematurely comes for her as a boon as she can hope to be free before the next season begins.
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Simona Halep’s complete statement on the doping result and suspension
As soon as the decision by the Integrity Agency was announced, Halep wasted no time in bringing her side to the fore as well. While she can only give out statements as of now, the current World No. 9 has emphasised that the substance was never taken knowingly.
“Today begins the hardest match of my life: a fight for the truth. I have been notified that I have tested positive for a substance called Roxadustat in an extremely low quantity, which came as the biggest shock of my life. Throughout my whole career, the idea of cheating never even crossed my mind once, as it is totally against all the values I have been educated with.
“Facing such an unfair situation, I feel completely confused and betrayed. I will fight until the end to prove that I never knowingly took any prohibited substance and I have faith that sooner or later, the truth will come out. It’s not about the titles or the money. It’s about honor, and the love story I have developed with the game of tennis over the last 25 years,” read Halep‘s statement.
The 31-year-old suffered a shock first-round exit at the US Open this year and has not played since. She also underwent surgery and also announced her divorce less than a year into her marriage. With lot of challenges for her at the moment, Halep would hope her fans can be behind her as she fights on.
Sarthak Shitole
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