Simona Halep suffers another setback in her doping allegations case as the former World No. 1 remains suspended

Halep announces that the decision regarding her case has been delayed once again.

Simona Halep suffers another setback in her doping allegations case as the former World No. 1 remains suspended

Simona Halep (Credits : Open Source)

Two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep tested positive for the banned substance roxadustat at the 2022 US Open. The former world number 1 has been provisionally suspended since October 2022 and denies having knowingly consumed the substance. Speaking in her defense to Guardian Halep had said that the results, which were collated by the International Tennis Integrity Agency, showed “extremely low” levels of the substance in her system.

Halep withdrew from the ongoing US Open as her doping suspension remained intact. The Romanian has faced another setback as the announcement of the decision on the case has been delayed. “Today I found out that the decision in my case, which was expected this week, will be further delayed. This is terribly disappointing, as I have consistently said that all I ask for is to be judged. It is hard to explain the emotional toll that all of these delays have had and continue to have on me,” the former World No.1 said in a story shared on Instagram.

YouTube video

Halep expressed gratitude to her supporters for their steadfast support after her suspension from the US Open. Thanking her fans, the 31-year-old said, “The fact that they were always by my side and they supported me in such a nice way. I read all their messages, their warmth, and I want to thank them from the bottom of my heart.“

FS Video

Simona Halep isn’t the only tennis player serving suspension on doping allegations. Swedish Pro Mikael Ymer admitted he had been charged with a potential anti-doping rule violation in January 2022 for missing three out-of-competition test attempts in a 12-month period.

America’s Taylor Townsend replaced Halep for the US Open.

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Simona Halep disappointed after dropping out of the WTA top 1000

Simona Halep
Simona Halep (Credits: Open Source)

Romanian professional tennis player Simona Halep hasn’t played for a year since she tested positive for roxadustat. The Romanian pro continues to await a decision from the international tennis authorities regarding her situation. As a result of the suspension, the former World No.1 has dropped out of the WTA top 1000 rankings.

“The fact that I’m not in the rankings anymore is a big blow. I worked for 20 years to build this ranking, year after year, without a break. There was a tremendous emotional and mental toll,” said the two-time Grand Slam champion.

Halep would hope that the decision on her case is announced soon and that she can put all her focus on getting herself ready for the start of next year.

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