"It will probably be the end of my career": Simona Halep likely to retire if doping appeal unsuccessful, parts with Patrick Mouratoglou

Tennis News
Friday, 15 December 2023 at 14:00
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Simona Halep admits it would likely be the end of her career if her four year doping ban sticks and her appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport is unsuccessful. She is set to face her hearing in early February after her career has been on hold for nearly three years by the time the hearing takes place.

Halep tested positive for the substance, Roxudustat after the 2022 US Open and had further breaches due to irregularities in her biological passport. Since then, she wrangled with the ITIA for her hearing to take place while she was in career limbo. Four years was passed down as the verdict which Halep immediately appealed and it is very much a career ending verdict if it sticks.

Parts ways with Mouratoglou

But also she confirmed that she has parted ways with Patrick Mouratoglou, her coach until the doping test which he later confirmed only recently was his fault as a member of his team gave Halep the banned substance in a collagen cream which saw her test positive. Halep admitted that it has now severed her trust not only in him but in people in general after having her career put on hold by that.

“Indeed, it came out publicly (Mouratoglou’s comment on the matter). I wish he had done this a little sooner," she said to Euronews. “It was hard for me because I always trusted my teams, previous teams and everyone I work with. I always had confidence, and my confidence is now a little shaken.”

“More than a year has already passed, and every day I felt it very painfully, full of emotions.” She said.“It was a shock to me when I received the letter that my urine test, only my urine test, was positive. I know I haven’t done anything wrong and I know I’m clean. I have always been against doping.’ “Four years is a long time at my age. If it’s four years, I don’t know how I’ll manage. It will probably be the end of my career. Yes. And for something I didn’t do and isn’t my fault, it’s even more catastrophic.”  

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