Halep Can Return To Tour After CAS Reduces Ban
Simona Halep can return to the professional tour after CAS decision
Just on the eve of Indian Wells, we receive the bombshell news that Simona Halep can return to the professional tour immediately after her four-year ban for a doping infringement was reduced by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The former world no.1 and two-time grand slam winner was provisionally suspended in October 2022 after testing positive for Roxudustat at that year’s US Open. Roxadustat is a prohibited substance - meant to treat anaemia - that “athletes can use [products like it] to increase their red blood cell count” according to the US Anti-Doping Agency.
In September 2023, the International Tennis Integrity Agency handed down a four-year ban to Halep related to the positive test and irregularities in her Athlete Biological Passport.
The Romanian has always disputed the ruling and blamed the positive finding on a contaminated supplement. Last month, Halep sued the manufacturer of the supplement in question.
In its ruling, the CAS “determined that Ms. Halep had established, on the balance of probabilities, that the Roxadustat entered her body through the consumption of a contaminated supplement which she had used in the days shortly before 29 August 2022 and that the Roxadustat, as detected in her sample, came from that contaminated product.” They then “concluded that she bore no significant fault or negligence.”
With regard to the blood passport decision, the CAS was also “not comfortably satisfied that an anti-doping rule violation under Article 2.2. of the TADP had occurred…[and] therefore dismissed the charge.”
Halep was naturally elated at the development after 19 months since her last professional match.
“In the midst of this challenging journey, my unwavering belief in the integrity of the truth and in the principles of justice has been my beacon. Despite facing daunting accusations and formidable opposition, my spirit remained buoyant, anchored in my unwavering conviction of being a clean athlete,” the 32-year-old said on Instagram.
The CAS issued a brief document on the decision but will release a more detailed explanation in due course. Previously, the CAS reduced bans handed down to Maria Sharapova and Marin Cilic.
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Halep Tests Positive
Former world no.1 Simona Halep has been provisionally suspended after testing positive for a banned substance at the US Open
Speaking of Indian Wells, play starts this evening at 7pm (GMT) on Sky Sports Tennis.
On the men’s side, world no.1 and five-time champion Novak Djokovic is back in ‘Tennis Paradise’ for the first time since 2019. The 36-year-old has been drawn in an inviting quarter with Hubert Hurkacz, Casper Ruud and Tommy Paul. Djokovic could well face 2023 finalist Daniil Medvedev, Holger Rune or 2022 winner Taylor Fritz in the last four. Also in that half, Rafael Nadal has been drawn against Milos Raonic in the first round!
In the bottom half, defending champ Carlos Alcaraz has a tough quarter with Alexander Zverev and Alex de Minaur for company. Meanwhile, Jannik Sinner will fancy his chances of getting through the third quarter ahead of Andrey Rublev and Stefanos Tsitsipas.
As for the women’s side, Iga Swiatek may face a carbon copy of her early Australian Open draw with Danielle Collins and Linda Noskova looming in rounds two and three respectively. It’s a dicey enough draw for the world no.1 with Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys and Ons Jabeur also in her quarter.
Elsewhere in the top half, defending champ Elena Rybakina has a good path to the final with Marketa Vondrousova, Beatriz Haddad Maia and Jasmine Paolini the highest seeds in her section.
Down the other end, it’s hard to see Aryna Sabalenka fail to reach the last four in a quarter with Jessie Pegula, Maria Sakkari and Elina Svitolina. On form, Coco Gauff or Qinwen Zheng look the most likely to advance from the third quarter but there could be a surprise in there.
You can check out the full draws here.
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