Simona Halep was provisionally suspended by the International Tennis Integrity Agency after failing a drug test at the U.S. Open in August. Halep is a two-time Grand Slam champion.
Halep, a former No. 1 player who is presently ranked ninth in the WTA, was sanctioned on Friday by the ITIA. She won Wimbledon in 2019 by defeating Serena Williams, the 23-time major champion, in the final, and the French Open in 2018.
In a social media post, Halep referred to the revelation of her positive test result as “the worst shock of my life” and added, “Faced with such an unfair circumstance, I feel absolutely puzzled and betrayed.”
Halep added, “I will battle to the latter end to prove that I have never intentionally used a banned substance, and I have faith that sooner or later, the truth will be out.”
After undergoing nasal surgery to aid her breathing, Halep, a 31-year-old Romanian, revealed in September that she would be taking the rest of the season off. She contemplated retiring early this year due to a string of ailments, but said she felt revitalized after joining up with Patrick Mouratoglou, who formerly worked with Serena Williams, in April.
Halep fell to Daria Snigur of Ukraine 6-2, 0-6, 6-4 on August 30 in the first round of the U.S. Open. It was Snigur’s maiden victory at the tour-level.
The United States Tennis Association and Mouratoglou both declined to comment.
The ITIA reported that Halep tested positive in New York for the banned chemical Roxadustat, a medication recognized for medicinal use in the European Union to treat the symptoms of anemia caused by chronic kidney failure.
The results of Halep’s test were described as “very low”
According to the EU’s drugs regulator, which approved Roxadustat last year, it stimulates the body to create more of the natural hormone erythropoietin, or EPO, which has been a popular doping agent among cyclists and distance runners for decades.
During the duration of a provisional ban, a tennis player is ineligible to participate in or attend sanctioned competitions.
For a positive test for a drug such as Roxadustat, Halep could face a four-year ban under the World Anti-Doping Code. Athletes can gain a reduction in their suspension, most likely to three years, if they swiftly admit to a violation and accept their sentence.
Halep’s case will be handled by tennis officials, and the World Anti-Doping Agency may file an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport if it disagrees with any decision.
“Today I begin the most difficult match of my life: a battle for the truth,” Halep wrote on Friday.