“Cannot wait to return to tour,” Simona Halep voices her relief as CAS rules in favor of the Romanian, relaxing charges drastically

Halep's nine-month ban is set to end on July 6th.

“Cannot wait to return to tour,” Simona Halep voices her relief as CAS rules in favor of the Romanian, relaxing charges drastically

Simona Halep (Via Imago)

Simona Halep has admitted that she cannot wait to return to tour following the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to reduce her doping suspension from four years to nine months. CAS ruled that the tennis player was not guilty of intentionally doping.

The former World No.1 had received a four-year suspension after testing positive for roxadustat last year September. The 32-year-old was handed one of the most significant doping bans in tennis history. She was given a four-year suspension which could have meant a likely end to her illustrious career.

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However, Halep appealed the suspension, claiming that she didn’t intentionally take roxadustat, and it had entered her body through the consumption of a contaminated supplement called Keto MCT. After the hearing of her case in February, CAS panel unanimously reduced her suspension to nine months.

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Following the CAS ruling, Simon Halep revealed that her faith in the court of Arbitration was tested and she cannot wait to be back in the court.

My faith in the process was tested by the scandalous accusations that were leveled against me, and by the seemingly unlimited resources that were aligned against me. I cannot wait to return to the tour.
Halep said as per BBC’s tennis correspondent Russell Fuller

Simon Halep, who has won two Grand Slam titles, will be hoping to return to the court better. She has lately posted videos of her training in the outdoor court.

Simona Halep’s ban ends in July

Simona Halep’s nine-month ban is set to end on July 6th. The tennis player has not played since October 7, after being charged with two offenses, but will now be able to compete when the reduced suspension expires.

Simona Halep
Simona Halep (via Imago)

However, the 32-year-old tennis player’s results from 29 August 2022 to 7 October 2022 (the period she was found positive) remain disqualified. She will receive 20,000 Swiss Francs (£17,800) from the ITIA as a contribution towards her legal fees and other expenses in the proceedings.

An essential element of the anti-doping process is a player’s ability to appeal, and the ITIA respects both their right to do so and the outcome. We await the full reasoned decision and will review it thoroughly in due course.
ITIA chief executive officer Karen Moorhouse (H/T: BBC)

The news is a big bonus to the WTA player, who has continued to plead her innocence since she was suspended.

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