"We are condemning an innocent woman": Toxicology professor condemns four year ban handed out to Halep
WTAThursday, 14 September 2023 at 00:30
Toxicology specialist Claude Alvarez has condemned the
four-year ban handed to the former world number one Simona Halep.
The 31-year-old received a lengthy ban after testing
positive for roxadustat during the US Open last year.
Alvarez, while talking to French daily L’Equipe, stated that
the verdict seems an unfair one because of multiple reasons.
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“Here, we are in the process of condemning an innocent
person. Everywhere, she has always advocated doping-free sport. There, we made
a mistake,” said Alvarez. “So I went to get a sample from the only patient in
France who was taking this drug (e.n. roxadustat three times a week for kidney
failure) and tested one of her hairs and found concentrations of 50 picograms
per milligram.
“So someone who actually takes it for treatment has 50
picograms. This proves that she took doses that were not effective at all. You
need to explain to me why they would take a product in doses that are
ineffective.
“I repeated the experiment 14 times, and it was positive 14
times. I sent these results to the American WADA-accredited laboratory, but
when they repeated the tests, they found nothing. We say there is roxadustat in
the collagen, but the American lab says there is not.
“The independent tribunal admits that there was
contamination but does not believe that it is enough to lead to a positive
result and therefore that there is another source,” Alvarez also said. I am not
in favor of doping, it is very important to fight against it, but we have to
admit that you can be contaminated. A recent study shows that 60% of dietary
supplements are contaminated. Athletes should no longer take supplements.”
It is not clear when Halep, who has not played any professional
tennis since September 2022, will appeal against this decision.
Azeem Siddiqui is a seasoned sports journalist and data analyst with a strong background in both digital media and live sports production.
He began his journalism career working with partners of The New York Times and has since contributed to several leading international sports publications, including Fox Sports Asia, Calciomercato, and GiveMeSport. Since 2023, Azeem has been part of the TennisUpToDate team, where he has played a key role in sustaining the platform’s growth and ensuring tennis fans receive timely and reliable coverage of the sport’s biggest stories.
In addition to his editorial work, Azeem has extensive experience as a data analyst in live sports broadcasting—particularly in cricket—where he combines analytical precision with creative storytelling. He has collaborated with multiple production companies and cricket boards worldwide, delivering real-time insights and data-driven narratives during live match coverage.
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