"Handled appallingly": Darren Cahill speaks out as Halep's case delayed further

Tennis News
Friday, 01 September 2023 at 18:33
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Darren Cahill, who used to coach Simona Halep, has spoken out about the latest delay in her doping charge case.
Two-time Grand Slam champion Halep was hit with a provisional suspension last October after she tested positive for the banned substance roxadustat at the 2022 US Open.
Now, with the 2023 tournament well underway, the Romanian player is still waiting to hear the verdict of her tribunal. This has led her former coach Cahill to release a statement on social media calling out the ITF, ITIA, and WTA among others for how they have treated Halep over the last year.

Cahill speaks out in support of Halep

In a statement on Instagram, Cahill wrote:
"Another delay. The details of this case will eventually come to light but regardless of the outcome, this process had been handled appallingly by the ITF & ITIA. Zero care or concern for the athlete or her well-being with this case dragging on for nearly 12-months and still no judgement or resolution."
The Australian coach, who aside from Halep has also worked with the likes of Andy Murray and Jannik Sinner, added that while he respected the need for fairness in these situations, there was nothing fair about how Halep had been treated throughout the process.
"I respect our testing program and a fair process but this has been anything but fair," he wrote, "Simona deserves the right to get on with her career and/or life. At the moment she can do neither. No player should ever have to go through a process of delays like this again."
Finally, Cahill called out the WTA along with the Player Council for not ensuring athletes are better protected in these circumstances.
"The WTA, the board and the player council need to do better to ensure the players have some protection and rights to a quicker resolution. At the moment, they have none," he concluded.
Cahill worked with Halep for six years, helping her to reach year-end World No. 1 in 2017. They parted ways in 2021.

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