Halep criticises 'different approaches' after Swiatek ban

Two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep has questioned the "big difference" successful however tennis doping cases are handled aft satellite fig 2 Iga Swiatek received a one-month ban.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced connected Thursday that Swiatek had accepted a one-month suspension aft investigating affirmative for banned substance trimetazidine (TMZ).

Halep, who was retired of enactment for much than 18 months pursuing 2 abstracted anti-doping violations, has criticised the ITIA for having "completely antithetic approaches".

"I basal and inquire myself, wherefore is determination specified a large quality successful attraction and judgment?" Halep posted connected Instagram connected Friday.

"I can't find and I don’t deliberation determination tin beryllium a logical answer. It tin lone beryllium atrocious volition from ITIA, the enactment that has done perfectly everything to destruct maine contempt the evidence."

Halep was provisionally suspended successful October 2022 aft investigating affirmative for banned substance roxadustat - an anti-anaemia cause which stimulates the accumulation of reddish humor cells successful the body.

The Romanian was aboriginal banned for 4 years - a play which was reduced to 9 months successful March aft an entreaty astatine the Court of Arbitration for Sport

Halep ever maintained her innocence and argued she had taken a contaminated supplement.

"I mislaid 2 years of my career, I mislaid galore nights erstwhile I couldn't sleep, thoughts, anxiety, questions without answers," the erstwhile satellite fig 1 said.

"How is it imaginable that successful identical cases happening astir the aforesaid time, ITIA to person wholly antithetic approaches to my detriment?"

Swiatek tested affirmative for a bosom medication, TMZ, successful an out-of-competition illustration successful August 2024, erstwhile she was satellite fig one.

The ITIA accepted the five-time large winner's usurpation was caused by contamination of the regulated non-prescription medicine melatonin, manufactured and sold successful Poland, which Swiatek took for pitchy lag and slumber issues.

An ITIA spokesperson told BBC Sport determination were "very important differences" betwixt Halep's lawsuit and Swiatek's.

"No 2 cases are the same, they often impact antithetic circumstances, and nonstop comparisons are not ever helpful," the ITIA said.

"The merchandise contaminated successful Ms Swiatek's lawsuit was a regulated medication, not a supplement."

Swiatek's suspension comes aft men's satellite fig 1 Jannik Sinner tested positive for clostebol successful March.

Although the ITIA accepted determination was "no responsibility oregon negligence" attached to the 23-year-old Italian, the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) has launched an entreaty to Cas.

The ITIA said: "We woody with each lawsuit based connected the facts and evidence, not a player's name, ranking oregon nationality. When a prohibited substance is recovered successful a player's system, we analyse it thoroughly.

"We impulse players to workout utmost caution erstwhile taking supplements and we are ever blessed to reply immoderate questions they have."