'No illegal substances in blood': in tears Simona Halep appeals four-year doping ban

Simona Halep initiates appeal process and ends in tears over extended suspension for charged Anti-Doping violations

Former world No. 1 Simona Halep is in the midst of a grueling battle to clear her name and overturn a four-year suspension imposed in September. Halep, initially blindsided by the news, has officially initiated an appeal process, with emotions running high and tears involved.

The drama unfolded when the two-time Grand Slam champion tested positive for the prohibited substance roxadustat in August 2022, leading to her provisional suspension in October of the same year. The initial suspension news left her overwhelmed and in tears.

According to The Athletic, Halep traveled to her home in Bucharest when the tribunal's decision was announced "to be with her family on the September day the decision came out." It was described as "an emotional day, filled with tears and an inability to understand how she could have been found guilty of blood doping even though illegal substances were never found in her blood."

An independent tribunal determined that Halep had committed "intentional anti-doping rule violations" in connection with these two charges, leading to the four-year sanction.

In a statement issued on the day the decision was announced, Halep shared her intentions to appeal before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which has already been received by CAS, though there are no signs of the timeframe it might take: "At this time, it is not possible to indicate a time frame for the issuance of the decision."

If Halep succeeds in her appeal, CAS could reduce her suspension, which currently keeps her sidelined until October 6, 2026. The 32-year-old tennis player has steadfastly maintained her innocence on both charges and argued that her positive roxadustat test was due to contamination from a collagen supplement she had taken.