“My fight continues” – Simona Halep announces intention to appeal doping ban

Simona Halep has confirmed she intends to go to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and appeal her four-year ban for breaches of anti-doping rules.

In a statement released on social media, she criticised the experts employed by the ITIA, suggesting they brought the charges for inconsistencies in her athlete biological passport only after they learned her identity.

“The ITIA relied solely on the opinions of these experts who looked only at my blood parameters – which I’ve maintained for more than 10 years in the same range. This group ignored the fact no prohibited substance has ever been found in my blood or urine samples with the sole exception of one August 29 positive test of roxadustat, which was present at an extremely low level and which, when considering my negative test three days prior, could only have been caused by accidental exposure to roxadustat.”

Halep also said: “The last year has been the hardest match of my life, and unfortunately my fight continues. I have devoted my life to the beautiful game of tennis. I take the rules that govern our sport very seriously and take pride in the fact I have never knowingly or intentionally used any prohibited substance.”

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