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Simona Halep is in the dark as to whether or not she will be allowed to return to competitive tennis anytime soon after her positive doping test hearing was extended.
Former world No. 1 Halep was provisionally suspended by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) after testing positive for the anemia drug roxadustat during the US Open a few months ago.
Roxadustat increases the production of red blood cells, helps endurance, and is classified in the category of banned substances like EPO.
The two-time Grand Slam winner immediately denied her innocence and vowed to clear her name, saying «I will fight for the truth.»
Halep has received support from her current coach Patrick Moratoglou and her former mentor Darren Cahill, who are confident she will clean up any mistakes.
In December, she received a positive update Romanian judge serving with the arbitration court As Christian Jura reported to Sport, Roxadustat entered Halep’s body «when she ingested a tainted nutritional supplement», but warned that «the athlete must also prove the absence of guilt and negligence».
However, it’s been slow since then, but Stere Halep’s father has made an update this week as he says the case will be heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport at the end of April.
“We still don’t know anything. We are waiting just like you. We don’t know what is happening,» he told the Romanian publication. Sports newspaper.
«The deadline was originally scheduled for the 28th, but as we understand, it was extended to the 30th.
«We’re doing okay. When you’re clean, you fight tooth and nail.»
One of Halep’s former coaches, Friisel Tomai, recently revised the trial, saying it was hit by several delays.
«The hearing was supposed to be held twice so far, but it was postponed due to various reasons,» he said. «The physical samples, the drugs or the vials were sent, and as far as I know they were rejected and a lab test was requested.»
Halep has not played competitive tennis since losing in the first round of the US Open in August and underwent nose surgery shortly after the loss. The Romanian was ninth in the WTA rankings when she was suspended in October, but fell to No. 26.
Read more: Simona Halep gets more vocal support as suspension continues
