The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) released a full report, precisely 126 pages, detailing the independent tribunal's decision to suspend WTA player Simona Halep for doping.
The charges brought by the ITIA against Halep as captured in the document include a positive in-competition doping test for Roxadustat and a second count being irregularities in her biological passport after an analysis of 51 blood samples, with the panel in consensus that there was 'illicit blood manipulation'.
Roxadustat is a banned substance under the World Anti-Doping Agency code (WADA) and TADP (Tennis Anti-Doping Programme). The supplement was found in a urine sample taken during the 2022 US Open after which Halep was provisionally suspended from the Tour.
At the time, Halep had already shut down her season after undergoing nasal surgery to cure breathing difficulties. On Tuesday this week, after months of waiting, a decision was made. Halep was found to have intentionally breached the anti-doping rules under the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme (TADP) following a two-day hearing in London at the end of June.
Under TADP Article 10.13, that period of Ineligibility starts from the date of this Tribunal’s final decision, but credit is to be given under TADP Article 10.13.2 for the period of her Provisional Suspension since 7 October 2022, which has been respected by the Player."
"Accordingly, Ms Halep will serve a period of Ineligibility of four years from 7 October 2022 to 6 October 2026."
The expert panel ruled that Halep's Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) regarding roxadustat was intentional and that they were completely satisfied the player had breached the ADRV in relation to her athlete's biological passport. Halep can appeal the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The document has since been uploaded to the ITIA website and can be found by following the link here.
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