Former world primary Simona Halep suspended after testing optimistic for banned substance roxadustat at US Open.
Former ladies’s world primary tennis participant Simona Halep says she is going to “battle for the reality” after she was provisionally suspended for doping.
The Romanian tennis star, who has gained two Grand Slam titles, was provisionally suspended after she examined optimistic for the banned blood booster roxadustat, the Worldwide Tennis Integrity Company (ITIA) mentioned on Friday.
Halep was examined through the US Open, the place each her A and B samples had been discovered with the presence of roxadustat, an anti-anaemia drug that stimulates the manufacturing of pink blood cells very like the prohibited substance erythropoietin (EPO).
The 2019 Wimbledon champion described the ban because the “greatest shock of her life” and denied knowingly taking any banned substance.
“At this time begins the toughest match of my life: a battle for the reality. I’ve been notified that I’ve examined optimistic for a substance known as Roxadustat in a particularly low amount,” she wrote on Twitter.
— Simona Halep (@Simona_Halep) October 21, 2022
“All through my complete profession, the concept of dishonest by no means even crossed my thoughts as soon as, as it’s completely towards all of the values I’ve been educated with. Dealing with such an unfair state of affairs, I really feel utterly confused and betrayed.”
Halep added that her battle was not about “titles or cash” however her honour and she or he hoped that the reality would finally come out.
In September, Halep introduced that she was taking the remainder of this season off after having nostril surgical procedure to enhance her respiration. She thought-about retiring early this 12 months after a collection of accidents, however then mentioned she felt rejuvenated after teaming up in April with coach Patrick Mouratoglou.
The suspension signifies that she can’t compete in or attend any sanctioned occasions organised by the governing our bodies of tennis.
One other former world primary, Maria Sharapova, failed a medication take a look at on the 2016 Australian Open, saying a change within the World Anti-Doping Company banned record led to the violation. She was initially banned for 2 years earlier than it was decreased to fifteen months.