"Their ruling counts for nothing"- Marin Cilic sends his support to Simona Halep amid Romanian's doping ban

Former World No. 3 Marin Cilic expressed his solidarity with Simona Halep following her 4-year ban from professional tennis due to doping violations.

Two-time Grand Slam champion Halep has been away from the women's tour since the 2022 US Open, where the doping accusations first arose.

She recently faced a major setback on Tuesday (September 12), when she was hit with a four-year suspension by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) for alleged anti-doping breaches.

In a show of support, Marin Cilic stood up for Halep during this challenging period. He urged the Romanian to stay strong and believed that the ITIA's decision might not carry significant weight.

"Stay strong Simona, their ruling counts for nothing," Cilic wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

Cilic himself faced a doping-related suspension in 2013. The former US Open champion received a nine-month ban from the ATP tour for testing positive for a prohibited substance called Nikethamide.

However, the ban was later reduced to four months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland. The CAS panel deemed the initial sanction too harsh, considering the degree of fault involved.

Halep, a former World No. 1, has consistently maintained her innocence and is determined to clear her name of what she calls "false allegations" following the ban.

"I am continuing to train and do everything in my power to clear my name of these false allegations and return to the court. I intend to appeal this decision to The Court of Arbitration for Sport and pursue all legal remedies against the supplement company in question," Simona Halep said in a statement posted on X.

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"The treatment Simona Halep has received is not normal and unacceptable" - Coach Patrick Mouratoglou

Simona Halep pictured with Patrick Mouratoglou during a practice session

Simona Halep continues to receive unwavering support from her coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, amid her ongoing battle with the ITIA.

Mouratoglou, the longtime coach of Serena Williams, started working with Halep in April 2022. He assisted the Romanian in a title-winning run at last year's Canada Open and a semifinal finish at the Wimbledon Championships.

In a recent CNN interview, the Frenchman expressed his disappointment with the panel's decision. He criticized the ITIA's handling of the case, calling Halep's treatment "unacceptable."

"I've been with Simona Halep through the whole process," Patrick Mouratoglou said, adding, "And the decision is completely for me impossible to understand."

"And also the way she has been treated by the ITIA, all the ways through the process. So unfairly it's shocking on all levels during that whole year. The treatment she has received is not normal and fair, and unacceptable for me," he continued.