Simona Halep, suspended for doping: “I want to play again”

Suspended as a precaution since October 2022 following a positive control for roxadustat, Simona Halep is waiting to find out when she will be able to return to the WTA circuit and the competition again. She confided exclusively in Tennis Majors on his state of mind, confident that “The last few months have still been difficult and emotionally heavy. »

Basically, the Romanian does not deviate one iota. “I have never consumed, in conscience, the slightest prohibited product. Doping is not part of my world, my values ​​are those of a healthy sport. » Halep explains that she didn’t even know what roxadustat was and had to “go look on the Internet just to find out. »

Experts ready to prove his innocence

Patrick Mouratoglou’s protege explains that she has hired experts to find out how traces of this substance could have been found in her urine. “After a lot of work, they established that these traces were the result of contamination, contamination from one of my dietary compliments, which explains the low quantity that was detected in my body. » And to affirm that the experts are able to provide proof of this contamination.

“The regulations state that any player suspended provisionally has the right to a quick hearing. Now, it was starting to take a very long time.

Where the story gets complicated is when Halep explains that she p***ed this evidence on to the ITF “from the month of December”, but she rejected them. All that remained was for him to call on an independent panel. A hearing was scheduled for February 28, with the hope of being able to dispute Indian Wells. But after a postponement requested by the ITF, it was necessary to wait until March 24. Before the organization also canceled this hearing. “I did not accept this decision because the regulations stipulate that any player suspended provisionally has the right to a rapid hearing. Now, it was starting to take a very long time. So I asked the ITF to lift my provisional suspension, but they also refused. »

“Tennis is my life. I still want to play it, feel as strong as before, if not more.

Halep now has to wait until May 28, the new date for the long-awaited hearing. “But it remains quite fragile because the ITF has already made it known that it could still request that it be canceled. » If so, it would be eight months without being able to play for the former world No. 1. But his determination remains intact. “I want to play again, I love the sport, and I want to play for big titles again. Tennis is the work of a lifetime […] Tennis is my life. I still want to play it, feel as strong as before, if not stronger. I know it will be very difficult after eight months without an official match and eight months of stress. But my conviction is that with hard work, I will become competitive again. »