Simona Halep has been charged with an additional anti-doping program violation related to her biological passport, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced on Friday.

>> Simona Halep expressed displeasure with the ITIA in the case of the delay in the court decision on her doping case

Violations in Simona Halep’s biological sports passport, ITIA reports

Simona Halep, 31, was suspended in October 2022 after testing positive for roxadustat at the US Open.

The program for athletes’ biological passports collects and compares data (periodic blood tests) to detect discrepancies over time that may suggest possible doping, writes the BBC.

“The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) confirms that Romanian tennis player Simona Halep has been charged with a new separate violation of the Tennis Anti-Doping Program (TADP) related to irregularities in her Athlete Biological Passport (ABP).

Ms Halep was suspended from October 2022 after testing positive for the banned substance roxadustat at the US Open last August.

The ABP program, 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 organizations monitor various blood parameters over time to identify potential anti-doping rules. violation (ADRV).

The additional allegation of an adverse finding in the passport was based on an assessment of Ms Halep’s ABP profile by a panel of independent ABP experts. This charge is separate and in addition to the existing Roxadustat charge from August 2022 that caused Ms. Halep’s initial suspension.

Nicole Sapstead, ITIA’s Senior Director of Anti-Doping, said: “We understand that today’s announcement complicates an already high-profile situation. From the outset of this process—as with any process at ITIA—we have remained committed to working with Ms. Halep in a responsive, efficient, and timely manner.

Of course, we appreciate the media’s great interest in these cases. It would be inappropriate for us to comment on the details until the court proceedings are complete, but we will continue to work with the independent Sport Resolutions tribunal and Ms Halep’s representatives as soon as possible.”

The ITIA is an authorized third party under the World Anti-Doping Code of the International Tennis Federation, the international governing body of the sport of tennis and a signatory to the Code. The ITIA is responsible for the management and administration of anti-doping measures in professional tennis in accordance with the TADP” – ITIA has announced in an official statement.

A hearing is possible on May 28

In the above interview with Tennis Majors, Simona said at one point that she has a hearing scheduled for May 28, but the ITF, which has already rejected her testimony and request to lift the suspension, may request that the hearing be canceled. It remains to be seen what will happen at that point.

The ITIA sets out the steps that are usually followed in the following doping cases: testing / samples sent to the laboratory / analysis report / analysis of the results / contact with the player / provisional suspension / accusation of the athlete / player response / player fully admits / player admits only in part / decision and sanction / player rejects / court / court decision and sanction / appeal.

• The news that Simona Halep was temporarily suspended for doping appeared on Friday, October 21, 2022.

Know:

• Simona Halep is temporarily suspended from tennis due to a positive test for Roxadustat (conducted during the US Open 2022).

• Simona’s case will be heard by Sport Resolutions, an independent court in London that hears doping cases in white sport.

• However, if innocence cannot be proven, Simone has one more appeal: the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne.

• It will be recalled that the maximum suspension that Halep could receive is 4 years.