Simona Halep officially out of US Open as doping saga draws on
Simona Halep has been withdrawn from the US Open later this month as her battle with officials over a doping suspension continues.
The former Wimbledon champion had joined the Grand Slam on a provisional basis while she was suspended, but when the time came on Monday, she was automatically taken off the list given her status.
The Romanian will be replaced in Flushing Meadows’ main draw by American Taylor Townsend.
Since October 2022, Halep has been on a temporary suspension for testing positive for the banned blood oxygen booster roxadustat at the US Open in 2018.
In May, she received a second anti-doping charge, and since then, she has dropped out of the top 1000 in the WTA rankings.
Sports arbitration experts Sport Resolutions are currently conducting an independent review of the case.
However the group was unable to provide any sort of concrete update on Halep or her case.
“As an independent tribunal, we are unable to comment on any aspect of our cases, whether proceedings have concluded or are ongoing.
We take this approach on all cases that come to us. Thank you for your understanding and we apologize that we cannot provide you with more details at this time,” the Sports Resolutions tribunal told Romanian Adevarul.
The group heard testimony from Halep in June and was expected to come back with a verdict within two weeks.
“She was heard today, but she will be heard tomorrow as well,” Digi Sport’s Dragos Suciu wrote in June.
“In about two weeks we should have a first verdict. The moment that was delayed has happened. Together with the lawyers, Simona presented her arguments.We will see what the decisions will be.
“Generally, two-year suspensions are given here, then the decisions are appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. They are generally halved there. The term of provisional suspension is reduced, and that provisional suspension is from November 2022.”
Halep has pled her innocence throughout and has grown frustrated at the delays in the process.
“I have been notified that I have tested positive for a substance called Roxadustat in an extremely low quantity, which came as the biggest shock of my life.
Throughout my whole career, the idea of cheating never even crossed my mind once, as it is totally against all the values I have been educated with. Facing such an unfair situation, I feel completely confused and betrayed,” Halep said
“The situation has been really hard. Emotionally, it’s heavy. The stress is huge because I never thought I would face something like this,” Halep said in an interview with Cédric Rouquette of Tennis Majors.
Halep says that the stress of the situation has taken its toll on her.
“I have always been against doping as I am a big supporter of clean sports. At the beginning, I didn’t know how to handle it. Over time, I just tried to stay calm and actually, I feel confident because I know I’m clean and I didn’t take anything knowingly that is banned.”
Halep has enjoyed the support of many notable figures in tennis including former coach Darren Cahill.
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