The ITIA
has confirmed that a physiotherapist working at the Mouratoglou Academy was the
one who recommended the supplement to
Simona Halep, which led to the doping
incident.
In a
126-page document, the ITIA presents the accusations and the defense presented
by Halep during a hearing in London on June 28th and 29th. Halep argues that
the presence of roxadustat, a prohibited substance in her body, was the result
of contamination of a collagen supplement she began taking in August 2022.
According
to Halep, neither she nor her team had reasonable grounds to suspect this
contamination.
Physiotherapist
Candice Gohier, who joined Halep's team in April 2022, was the person who
recommended the collagen supplement. In August 2022, while Halep was recovering
from a right thigh injury and still had hopes for the US Open, Gohier suggested
adding the collagen supplement to her diet since she wasn't taking any
supplements at that time.
This
recommendation was based on a suggestion from Frederic Lefebvre, the director
of the physical training department at the Mouratoglou Academy. Halep consulted
with her coach,
Patrick Mouratoglou, who assured her that the products were
safe to use, as they did not contain prohibited substances on the label and did
not appear to be risky.
Former
world No. 1 also made sure that the supplements were reviewed and recommended
by specialists in the field. Gohier ordered the supplements on August 16, 2022,
and the distributor sent them directly to New York, where Halep began using
them in mid-August.
The
document mentions three supplements in question: an electrolyte drink
(Magnesium, Calcium, Sodium), a recovery supplement, and Keto MCT (a
medium-chain fatty acid supplement), and marine collagen powder. While the
supplements are mentioned, the company that markets them has been censored in
the report.
However, it has been discovered that the company from which Halep
purchased the supplements is Quantum Nutrition, based in Ontario, Canada. The
ketogenic collagen powder that Halep consumed is sold under the name
"Schinoussa," named after a Greek island.
