Ion Cyriac spoke on Thursday about the situation of Simona Halep, the athlete temporarily suspended after failing an anti-doping test during the US Open 2022. The businessman says that the former WTA leader trains every day and wants to return to the court.

>> The head of the National Anti-Doping Agency explains the current situation of Simona Halep

Present at the ice rink he owns in Otopeni, the former athlete spoke more about Simona Halep’s trial.

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

Simona Halep trains every day at Stejarii

“I saw Simona three days ago, she is training in Stejaria. I give him permission to train there because I don’t need to ask permission from anyone. In my opinion, her lawyers are slow, slow.

I knew two lawyers, one of whom was an IOC lawyer in 2000 in Sydney who then left the IOC because the test was rigged ie from 60ml to over 100ml overnight. So he is a good lawyer, left the IOC and is in Lausanne, next to the TAS.

And there is another lawyer I know in Lausanne. But she took someone else, and I hope that these lawyers will do their duty. Because she is in the gym every day, hits the ball with a racket and still wants (no – to play).

If it really is tainted medicine or tainted food… As far as I understand, Simone needs to be protected from all angles. The problem is that she hasn’t played since August.

The fact that I don’t even agree with the way he played 2 years ago is something else. But if she has not played anymore… and she is 25-26 years old… leave 30 and… she looks 25 on the field.

But the weeks when he doesn’t play add up, and it’s dangerous and sad” – Ion Syriacreports Agerpres.

Ion Cyriac says Simona Halep’s team is responsible for what happened

“Symona is a 30-31-year-old woman who has been tested hundreds of times and is being tested before a tournament in which she lost in the first round.

She made a gesture…she said, “Don’t touch my team.” How can no one touch your team if you don’t know what you’re eating? What do you drink when you work out? They are responsible.

I remember how coaches used to exchange plaques with athletes in Sydney. This is just in case (no – their food will be specially contaminated). And we remember Nurofen. But such things can happen.

The law is absolutely fair. Either you let them all do what they want saying die on drugs or you respect the law.

I said that I was at WADA, I was on that committee of five when it was created, and I had a big say.

If I open an athlete’s mouth and another puts something in it, he is doped. He has the right to defend himself, but he is doped. But in my opinion it should already be on the field (no – Simon).

It is very difficult to give advice in such situations. I told Simona who the lawyers were, and now I found out that one died, I didn’t know” – Ion Syriac.

Simona Halep’s lawyers are having difficulties – Cyriac: I think we will see her on the field in 2-3 years

The businessman is not very optimistic about the return of Simona Halep to the tennis court.

“If scriptology and manipulation work (no – in the case of doping), I think we will see it again on the field in 2-3 years. Don’t you see that she has not been able to present all the evidence to this day?

To go to the producer, and the producer to say “Yes”, and then come with the producer to the commission… and so on… when will everything reach TAS?

And when it gets to TAS, people there do what they want. No one is responsible if after TAS tells her that she is right and that it is not her fault. Who pays for those 5-6-8 months of her life? No one! From the life of Andrea Redukan, who paid for these months? No one!

An athlete of this level needs to add some confidence. I adopted these laws, with Samaranch, with WADA… there were five of us who created WADA, and these are absolutely fair laws.

But, unfortunately, the law was changed by those who came next, and the one you caught (no – the athlete who used doping) is no longer suspended from Olympic life forever, but only for 2 years. But if not, then there is justice,” he concluded Ion Tiriacusreports Agerpres.

The case of Simona Halep will be considered in an emergency mode

Simona’s case will be heard urgently by Sports Resolution, 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.