Simona Halep formally appeals to have 4-year doping ban reduced

Simona Halep has formally registered an appeal with CAS (the Court of Arbitration for Sport), hoping to get her four-year doping ban reduced.

Earlier this year, the Romanian was handed a shock 48-month long suspension by the ITIA (International Tennis Integrity Agency) for 'intentional' breaches of the sport's anti-doping programme.

Halep had tested positive for Roxadustat at the 2022 US Open, and the ITIA's report even had doubts that she might have been 'microdosing' with the prohibited substance for several months. However, the former World No. 1, who has since been on the sidelines, has continuously stated her innocence in the matter.

On Tuesday, October 24, it came to light that the 31-year-old has now lodged an official appeal with CAS, as revealed in a press statement by the organization (source taken from Twitter account Romanian Tennis - userid: '@WTARomania').

"The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has registered the appeal filed by the Romanian tennis player, Ms Simona Halep (the Athlete), against the decision rendered by the International Tennis Integrity Agency Tribunal dated 22 September 2023 (the Challenged Decision), in which she was found to have committed Anti-Doping Rule Violations and sanctioned with a four-year period of ineligibility commencing on 7 October 2022, and the disqualification of all results obtained in competitions taking place in the period 29 August 2022 to 7 October 2022, including forfeiture of any medals, titles, ranking points and prize money," the media release read.

The Court revealed that proceedings have already commenced on the case, but did not want to give a timeframe for when a final decision will be reached by their expert panel.

"In her appeal to the CAS, the Athlete requests that the Challenged Decision be set aside and that her sanction be reduced. The CAS arbitration proceedings have commenced. In accordance with the Code of Sports-related Arbitration (the CAS Code), the arbitration rules governing CAS procedures, the parties are exchanging written submissions and the Panel of arbitrators that will decide the matter is being constituted."

"Once constituted, the Panel will issue procedural directions for the next phase of the procedure, including the holding of a hearing. Following the hearing, the Panel will deliberate and issue an Arbitral Award containing its decision and the grounds for it. At this time, it is not possible to indicate a time frame for the issuance of the decision," it was said.

The decision of the panel assembled by CAS will be "final and binding," with the ITIA and Simona Halep might be given a possible option to file another appeal with the Swiss Federal Tribunal within 30 days after that.

"The CAS Panel's decision will be final and binding, with the exception of the parties' right to file an appeal to the Swiss Federal Tribunal within 30 days on limited grounds," the statement read.

Simona Halep: "I have never knowingly used any prohibited substance"

Day Four: The Championships - Wimbledon 2018

Simona Halep, as expected, professed absolute innocence after the ITIA handed her the doping ban, reiterating that she has never knowingly used any prohibited substance. The Romanian refused to accept the decision, adding that she was "shocked and disappointed" by the ban.

"I have never knowingly or intentionally used any prohibited substance. I refused to accept their decision of a four-year ban. While I am grateful to finally have an outcome following numerous unfounded delays and a feeling of living in purgatory for over a year, I am both shocked and disappointed by their decision," Simona Halep said.

Halep had vowed even then that she would be appealing to CAS about the ruling, which she has done now.