1 year ago
53
Simona Halep bushed Serena Williams to triumph Wimbledon successful 2019Former Wimbledon champion Simona Halep says it is "really pugnacious to suffer days, weeks and months" arsenic she waits for her doping lawsuit to beryllium resolved.
The 31-year-old Romanian, who won Wimbledon successful 2019, has been suspended provisionally for the past six months.
Halep tested affirmative for roxadustat astatine the US Open successful August but denies knowingly taking the banned substance.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency, liable for investigating successful the sport, said "the process is ongoing".
It added that erstwhile satellite fig 1 Halep's lawsuit was "being tally successful enactment with the World Anti-Doping Code".
Two-time Grand Slam champion Halep, who besides won the French Open successful 2018, said "cheating had ne'er crossed" her caput and claims her illustration was contaminated.
Roxadustat is an anti-anaemia cause which stimulates the accumulation of reddish humor cells successful the body.
In her archetypal interrogation since she was provisionally banned successful October, Halep said she was frustrated with the clip it was taking for the lawsuit to beryllium resolved.
"I'm not asking for peculiar treatment. I conscionable inquire to beryllium judged. How overmuch longer is this going to take?" she told the Tennis Majors website.
She added: "At this age, it's truly pugnacious to suffer days, weeks, and months. You are frightened astir the injuries. When you don't person authoritative matches, it is much risky.
"When clip passes similar this, it is harder to travel back."
Halep, who was ranked ninth erstwhile the prohibition came into force, is 1 of the highest-profile tennis players to neglect a drugs trial and the astir salient since Russian five-time large champion Maria Sharapova was banned successful 2016.
The investigations into failed tests by the ITIA are often a analyzable process, adjacent much truthful erstwhile a subordinate denies taking a substance knowingly.
It is not uncommon for these cases to instrumentality respective months to beryllium resolved. Both parties are capable to nutrient grounds which tin beryllium cross-examined by the different and would pb to the process being further extended.
English (US)