ITIA Charges Simona Halep with Another Doping Offence

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) released a statement on May 19, 2023, confirming that the former World No.1 in women’s tennis, Simona Halep has been charged with another doping offence. Halep was earlier provisionally suspended as her dope test came back positive for the prohibited substance, Roxadustat at the US Open in August 2022[1]. This provisional suspension rendered her ineligible to take part in any of the sanctioned tennis events organized by the governing bodies for the sport of tennis.

This time, irregularities were observed in her Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) and she is held to be in violation of the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme (TADP) after her ABP profile was evaluated by an independent ABP Expert Panel. Anti-doping organisations make use of such biological passports to monitor the blood parameters of athletes and detect the effects of doping.

The charge of Adverse Passport Finding is “separate and in addition” to the previous Roxadustat charge which was imposed w.e.f. October 2022.

[1] https://www.itia.tennis/news/sanctions/simona-halep-provisional-suspension/