The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced on Tuesday that former Wimbledon and French Open winner Simona Halep has been handed a four-year suspension following two anti-doping rule breaches.
Halep, 31, was provisionally suspended in October 2022 after testing positive for Roxadustat at the US Open the previous year.
A second doping charge was lodged against her in May because of discrepancies found in her athlete’s biological passport. The ITIA stated that this charge was separate from her 2022 provisional suspension. These biological passports serve as a standard record of substances in an athlete's system and are used as a tool against doping.
Following the decision by the ITIA, the WTA issued a statement:
“It is of the utmost importance for players to be aware of the Tennis Anti-Doping Program rules and to follow them. The Independent Tribunal has made its ruling surrounding Simona’s case and under the TADP, the decision may be appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The WTA will support the decisions reached through the process and will continue to follow this closely.”
Halep has expressed her intention to challenge the decision.
"I am continuing to train and am committed to clearing my name from these allegations. I intend to appeal this decision to The Court of Arbitration for Sport and seek legal actions against the supplement company involved," Halep said in her statement.
If the suspension remains, Halep will be ineligible to play professional tennis until Oct. 6, 2026.
