Tennis · Romania · ITIA

Simona Halep: doping case, ban and appeal

Ban ended CAS set a nine month ban from 7 October 2022, which had already expired, and the ITIA said she was free to resume playing on 5 March 2024.

Violation

Presence and use of a prohibited substance: roxadustat (urine sample of 29 August 2022, US Open), and use of a prohibited substance or method based on the Athlete Biological Passport^1,2,3

Results disqualified

All results from 29 August 2022 to 7 October 2022, including ranking points and prize money (CAS)

Appeals

• CAS, 5 March 2024: ReducedThe CAS panel found on the balance of probabilities that the roxadustat came from a contaminated supplement, that the violation was not intentional and that she bore no significant fault. It dismissed the biological passport charge. The ban was reduced from four years to nine months and the ITIA's appeal was dismissed.^2,3

Athlete's response

Halep wrote on Instagram that the tribunal had "cleared me of any wrongdoing regarding the blood doping allegations" (Tennis365, 6 March 2024).

Sources

1. International Tennis Integrity Agency, Independent Tribunal sanctions Simona Halep for Anti-Doping Rule Violations (12 September 2023)
2. International Tennis Integrity Agency, Court of Arbitration for Sport partially upholds Simona Halep appeal (5 March 2024)
3. LawInSport, CAS upholds the appeal filed by Simona Halep and reduces her period of ineligibility from 4 years to 9 months (CAS media release) (5 March 2024)
4. Tennis365, Simona Halep releases emotional statement as her doping nightmare ends (6 March 2024)