The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) confirms that Romanian tennis player Simona Halep has been charged with a further and separate breach of the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme (TADP), relating to irregularities in her Athlete Biological Passport (ABP). Ms Halep has been provisionally suspended since October 2022, as a result of testing positive for prohibited substance Roxadustat at the US Open in August of last year.
The ABP programme, developed by the World Anti-Doping Agency and incorporated into the TADP under the World Anti-Doping Code (WADC), is a method by which anti-doping organisations monitor various blood parameters over time, to identify potential Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs).
The additional charge of an Adverse Passport Finding was based on an assessment of Ms. Halep's ABP profile by an independent ABP Expert Panel. That charge is separate and in addition to the existing Roxadustat charge from August 2022 which triggered Ms. Halep’s original provisional suspension.
Nicole Sapstead, Senior Director for Anti-Doping at the ITIA, said: “We understand that today’s announcement adds complexity to an already high-profile situation. From the outset of this process – and indeed any other at the ITIA – we have remained committed to engaging with Ms. Halep in an empathetic, efficient, and timely manner.
“We do, of course, appreciate there is a great deal of media interest in these cases. It would be inappropriate for us to comment on specifics until the conclusion of the process, but we will continue to engage with the Sport Resolutions independent tribunal and Ms. Halep’s representatives as expeditiously as possible.”
The ITIA is the delegated third party, under the World Anti-Doping Code of the International Tennis Federation, the international governing body for the sport of tennis and signatory of the Code. The ITIA is responsible for the management and administration of anti-doping across professional tennis in accordance with the TADP.
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Notes for editors
In accordance with the WADC, the ITIA operates the International Registered Testing Pool (IRTP), which subjects just under 300 tennis players to regular ABP testing as part of its in-competition and out-of-competition testing program. In general terms, the top 100 ranked singles players from both the ATP and WTA are mainstays of the IRTP. As one of the world’s highest-ranked players, Ms. Halep is included in the IRTP.
The statement for Ms. Halep’s first charge – which triggered her provisional suspension - can be read here:
ITIA - Simona Halep Provisional Suspension
More information on the Athlete Biological Passport can be found here:
Athlete Biological Passport | World Anti Doping Agency (wada-ama.org)
Published 19 May 2023 19:50
