CNN
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Former world No. 1 Simona Halep has been provisionally suspended from tennis after testing optimistic for a prohibited substance at this yr’s US Open.
Based on the Worldwide Tennis Integrity Company (ITIA), Halep examined optimistic for Roxadustat, which is a banned substance listed within the 2022 World Anti-Doping Company (WADA) Prohibited Checklist.
The 2-time grand slam champion has denied knowingly taking the banned substance.
“Right now begins the toughest match of my life: a struggle for the reality,” the 31-year-old stated in an announcement on social media Friday.
“I’ve been notified that I’ve examined optimistic for a substance known as Roxadustat in a particularly low amount, which got here as the most important shock of my life.
“All through my complete profession, the thought of dishonest by no means even crossed my thoughts as soon as, as it’s completely towards all of the values I’ve been educated with. Dealing with such an unfair scenario, I really feel utterly confused and betrayed.
“I’ll struggle till the top to show that I’ve by no means knowingly took any prohibited substance and I’ve religion that ultimately, the reality will come out.”
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Halep was knowledgeable of the violation on October 7 and exercised the suitable to request that the B pattern be analyzed, which confirmed the discovering within the A pattern.
Based on the USA Anti-Doping Company (USADA), Roxadustat is a category of drug known as HIF-stabilizing brokers.
“Athletes can use these merchandise to extend their crimson blood cell rely, which is a really efficient doping method that will increase the supply of oxygen to working muscle mass to extend endurance efficiency,” stated USADA on its web site.
In an announcement, the Girls’s Tennis Affiliation (WTA) – the organizing physique for skilled girls’s tennis – stated, “The ITIA administers the Tennis Anti-Doping Program (TADP) which supplies for a radical course of. On this case, Simona has obtained a compulsory provisional suspension in accordance with the 2022 TADP.
“The WTA totally helps the TADP, in addition to Simona, whereas having full confidence that the suitable end result will probably be reached via the detailed course of that’s forward.”
The Romanian tennis participant will probably be ineligible to compete in or attend any tennis occasions organized by the governing our bodies of the game whereas suspended.
“It’s not concerning the titles or the cash. It’s about honor, and the love story I’ve developed with the sport of tennis over the past 25 years,” she added.
Halep had nearly retired in 2021 however stated she had fallen again in love with tennis this yr.
She was knocked out of the primary spherical of this yr’s US Open in August, dropping in three units to then world No. 124 Daria Snigur.
Halep gained her first grand slam on the French Open in 2018 and gained her second at Wimbledon in 2019.
