Sports columnist Kenny Ducey suggests doping ban is Simona Halep’s own doing, nothing to feel sympathetic about
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Simona Halep
Famed sports writer and broadcaster Kenny Ducey recently gave his own take on the Simona Halep doping controversy, saying the Romanian former World No.1’s ban is a result of her own doing and although it is a problematic situation for her, he does not feel sympathetic about it.
Speaking on the Inside-in podcast, Ducey even went on to say that the ban would have been even more surprising had it come last year when Halep was going deep inside the later rounds of the major tournaments. He added that the ban was still quite shocking because beating Halep in Grand Slam was still a big deal for most players out there and that’s precisely why it also leaves the women’s tour almost crippled with no other notable players around her stature and experience.
“I mean, obviously, it’s her own doing, so I’m not going to feel super sympathetic; I think that it sucks. There’s really nothing else to say, and it was definitely surprising and I think that, that wasn’t really someone I expected to come out (with a positive doping test),” Ducey said on the podcast.
“She’s still regarded as one of the best players on tour. So to lose someone like that, I mean in terms of where it leaves the tour, certainly, I think that there are not too many established names, elder statesmen, that are still contenders for Slams. She was certainly one of them and it still felt like a ride of passage where (it was) a big deal, if you beat her at a Grand Slam,” he further added.
Patrick McEnroe adds more mystery to Simona Halep “never said she didn’t take roxadustat” argument
After Halep was provisionally banned for doping, many tennis players, both former and current, provided their take on the ongoing controversy, in addition to those close to the Romanian for family or personal reasons.
In one such response, doubles great Patrick McEnroe added more mystery to Halep’s doping controversy by pointing out that she hasn’t yet admitted to not taking roxadustat, and has only spoken about not having taken any prohibited substance “knowingly.” The logic is quite interesting considering Halep hasn’t plainly denied not taking the drug so far despite vouching for her honesty and integrity all along.
“As far as I know her, she (Simona Halep) is an extremely polite and kind person, but again, that has nothing to do with whether she actually took the drug or not. She doesn’t say she didn’t take the doping product. At least in her comment, she says she never knowingly took a banned substance,” McEnroe recently deduced in his podcast.
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Ashish Maggo
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