‘Betrayed’: Former world No. 1 tennis star banned for doping

Former world No. 1 Simona Halep says it is “the biggest shock of my life” after she was sensationally banned for doping on Saturday.

The tennis world has been stunned by news former world No. 1 Simona Halep has been hit with a doping ban.

Halep released a statement on Saturday morning (AEDT) she will “fight until the end” to prove she did not knowingly take a prohibited substance after she was provisionally suspended for doping.

A sample that Halep provided during the US Open in August tested positive for roxadustat, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) said.

During her suspension, Halep will be unable to compete in any sanctioned events. She will have an opportunity to appeal the ruling, but currently faces a ban of up to four years. At the age of 31 it has the potential to end her career.

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Roxadustat stimulates the production of red blood cells and is used to treat anaemia and kidney problems.

Halep, the current world number nine, said the drugs test result was “the biggest shock of my life”.

“Today begins the hardest match of my life: a fight for the truth,” the Romanian wrote on Twitter.

Simona Halep at the Australian Open. Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images.

“Throughout my whole career, the idea of cheating never even crossed my mind once, as it is totally against all the values I have been educated with,” Halep said.

“Facing such an unfair situation, I feel completely confused and betrayed.

She said an “extremely low quantity” of the substance had been found in her body.

“I will fight until the end to prove that I never knowingly took any prohibited substance and I have faith that sooner or later, the truth will come out,” she added.

“It’s not about the titles or the money. It’s about honour, and the love story I have developed with the game of tennis over the last 25 years.”

The 2018 French Open and 2019 Wimbledon champion is the highest-profile player to fail a drugs test since Maria Sharapova in 2016.

Halep had ended her season in mid-September after having nose surgery. Speaking in September, she said that earlier in the year she had suffered mental problems and had considered ending her career but she began working with Serena Williams’ former coach Patrick Mouratoglou and her form briefly rebounded.

Romania's Simona Halep waves at fans. Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP.

She reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon this year and won in Toronto to reach No. 6 in the rankings in August before slipping back to ninth.

Halep suffered a surprise first-round loss at the US Open and it emerged just one month later that she is getting divorced from Romanian business tycoon Toni Iuruc.

The ITIA, which oversees tennis’ anti-doping program, said it had informed her on October 7 that she was being provisionally suspended — more than three weeks after she had already announced she was ending her season prematurely.

It said Halep had exercised her right to have her ‘B’ sample analysed, which confirmed the presence of roxadustat.

In a statement, ITIA said: “While provisionally suspended, the player is ineligible to compete in or attend any sanctioned tennis events organised by the governing bodies of the sport.”

The first player to come out in support of Halep was French star Alize Cornet, who successfully fought a doping ban in 2018 after missing three drug tests in a year.

“With you all the way Simona. It’s unfair, but you will win this fight,” she wrote on social media.

— with AFP

Originally published as ‘Betrayed’: Former world No. 1 tennis star banned for doping