Coach Patrick Mouratoglou – “I cannot believe the decision to ban Simona”

The coach is appalled at the ban given to Simona Halep

Simona Halep and Patrick Mouratoglou (Zuma/Panoramic)

September 12, 2023

Coach Patrick Mouratoglou has described himself as “extremely shocked” by the ITIA’s decision to hand down a four-year ban to Simona Halep for breaches of anti-doping regulations.

In a statement he released on social media, the Frenchman wrote: “I know Simona’s integrity and I have no doubt that she has never taken any banned substance.

“I sat through the entire two days of hearing with her and I CANNOT believe that the tribunal has reached that decision based on the evidence and arguments that I heard.

My statement on @Simona_Halep’s unfair situation : pic.twitter.com/czhsfcfBA2
— Patrick Mouratoglou (@pmouratoglou) September 12, 2023

“The process and the ITIA have been totally unfair to Simona and it is totally unacceptable.

“I hope that Simona will prevail at CAS which is the only tribunal that is not controlled by the ITIA.”

In a final volley, he concluded: “I hope that the WTA, ATP and PTPA will do their best to change a system that is destroying careers of innocent people.”