Tennis Player Simona Halep Files Appeal With CAS Over Doping Suspension

The Romanian tennis player, Simona Halep has filed an appeal before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) challenging the four-year suspension imposed on her by the Independent Tribunal vide order dated September 11, 2023, on account of two breaches of the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme (TADP). In the appeal, the CAS has been requested to set aside the decision of the Independent Tribunal and reduce the sanction imposed on Halep.

The suspension ordered by the Tribunal is operative w.e.f. the date of provisional suspension, i.e. October 7, 2022. The provisional suspension was for the player’s first breach and was regarding the presence of a WADA-prohibited substance, Roxodustat in the testing sample collected at the US Open in August 2022. Subsequently, she was charged with another doping offence concerning irregularities in her Athlete Biological Passport (ABP). For these two breaches, she was handed a four-year period of ineligibility. Further, the results obtained in competitions between August 29, 2022, and October 7, 2022, were disqualified, with forfeiture of any medals, titles, ranking points, and prize money, as per the provisions of the TADP.

Once the CAS Panel renders its decision, the parties would have the right to challenge the same vide appeal before the Swiss Federal Tribunal subject to prescribed conditions.