Simona Halep is accused of yet another doping offence

Simona Halep, 31, is accused of yet another violation of doping rules.

The former world number one in tennis has “irregularities in his biological passport”.

“I live in a total nightmare, feel powerless and harassed”‚ she writes in one response on the charges.

To access doping in sports, the doping hunters have so-called “biological passports” to help them.

The passport means that blood values ​​from doping tests can be compared with the athlete’s own blood values ​​and not with an average value based on the entire population.

Now stands Simona Haleps biological passports in focus.

full screen

Double accused

The 31-year-old Romanian has already been suspended pending an investigation into doping, and the tennis integrity unit ITIA writes that she is now being investigated for two various violations of the anti-doping rules.

– We understand that today’s announcement makes an already high-profile case even more complex, says ITIA’s chief executive Nicole Sapstead in a press release.

– We naturally appreciate that there is a great deal of media interest in cases like this. But it would be inappropriate for us to comment on any details before the process is complete.

“Total nightmare”

Already in October Halep was caught in a doping test.

She then tested positive for the banned substance roxadustat, a drug that, among other things, stimulates the production of red blood cells.

The Romanian still maintains her innocence, and after the new accusations, she now publishes a long statement on her social media where she writes that she feels “powerless and harassed”.

“Ever since October 7, when ITIA punished me for the first time, I have lived in a total nightmare. My name has been dragged in the dirt and ITIA is doing everything in its power to prove my guilt when in fact I have NEVER taken any banned substance. I have repeatedly tried to get the case moved to an independent tribunal, but ITIA has always found reasons to postpone it. All I want is a chance to prove my innocence”writes Halep.

Halep was ranked ninth in the world when she got caught.