\ufeffREAD MORE:<\/strong> Radley in hot water over mid-brawl 'headbutt' on Dragon<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n READ MORE:<\/strong> Dragons end nightmare week with fairytale finish<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Halep is a 31-year-old from Romania who reached No. 1 in the WTA rankings in 2017. She won Wimbledon in 2019, beating 23-time major champion Serena Williams in the final, a year after winning the French Open.<\/p>\n The ITIA said the new charge \u201cwas based on an assessment\u201d of Halep\u2019s biological passport profile by an expert panel. Such passports provide a baseline reading of substances in an athlete's body and are considered a way to help chart doping.<\/p>\n \u201cWe understand that today\u2019s announcement adds complexity to an already high-profile situation. From the outset of this process \u2014 and indeed any other at the ITIA \u2014 we have remained committed to engaging with Ms. Halep in an empathetic, efficient, and timely manner,\u201d Nicole Sapstead, the group\u2019s senior director for anti-doping, said in a statement.<\/p>\n In a social media post, Halep wrote Friday that she has \u201clived the worst nightmare I have ever gone through in my life\u201d since being initially charged by the ITIA.<\/p>\n She continued, saying her \u201cname been soiled in the worst possible way\u201d and that the ITIA is determined \u201cto prove my guilt while I haven\u2019t EVER even thought of taking any illicit substance.\u201d<\/p>\n Halep\u2019s post says she was a \u201cvictim of contamination\u201d and always has \u201cbeen totally against any sort of cheating.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI look forward to finally being able to present my case at my hearing that is scheduled at the end of May,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Halep is the most prominent tennis player to face a doping ban since five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova tested positive for a newly banned substance at the 2016 Australian Open. Sharapova initially was given a two-year suspension but appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which reduced the penalty, ruling she bore \u201cless than significant fault\u201d in the case and could not \u201cbe considered to be an intentional doper.\u201d<\/p>\n Before her provisional suspension was made public, Halep announced in September she was taking the rest of last season off after having nose surgery to improve her breathing. She had considered retiring earlier in 2022 after a series of injuries, but then said she felt rejuvenated after teaming up with coach Patrick Mouratoglou, who used to work with Williams.<\/p>\n Seeded No. 7 at the U.S. Open, Halep lost in the first round to Daria Snigur of Ukraine on Aug. 30. It was the first tour-level win of Snigur\u2019s career.<\/p>\n The ITIA said Halep tested positive in New York for the banned substance Roxadustat, a drug approved for medical use in the European Union to treat the symptoms of anemia caused by chronic kidney failure.<\/p>\n According to the EU\u2019s medicines agency, which approved Roxadustat last year, it stimulates the body to produce more of the natural hormone erythropoietin, or EPO, which has long been a doping product favored by cyclists and distance runners.<\/p>\n During a provisional suspension, a tennis player is ineligible to compete in, or attend, any sanctioned events.<\/p>\n For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by<\/strong> clicking here<\/strong><\/a>!<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n
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