Simona Halep could return to the WTA Tour without appeal and as soon as possible under one condition, it has been found according to Romanian site, ProSport.
Halep received a four-year ban after testing positive for Roxudustat last year and may now have to head to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne.
But interestingly, it has been found that Halep could return if she denounces 'another person who violated the anti-doping regulations and in this way help to accuse her'. Practically, Simona has to collaborate with ITIA who she has berated on multiple occasions as well as 'snitch' as such on a colleague from professional tennis.
Through this method found in Article 10.7.1 of the Tennis Anti-Doping Program, substantial assistance in the discovery or establishment of violations of the code would mean Halep's ban would be reduced by three quarters. This means she could return straight away after serving a year of suspension.
But her dislike for the ITIA would have to flip on its head so she would have to start full collaboration for this to happen. She also has not distanced herself from Patrick Mouratoglou and his team despite it being found that a physiotherapist was seemingly behind her taking the substance.
If she does appeal though, this route goes completely out of the window as collaboration with the ITIA will be no longer possible. But she does have a chance with Marin Cilic who showed support for her earlier in the week having his doping ban in 2013 dramatically reduced after appeal.
BREAKING: Simona Halep has been suspended for 4 years. After facing various delays to even have a fair trial, this decision seems incredibly harsh. Simona has been provisionally suspended since October 2022. She will appeal this decision. If she’s unable to have this…
