​Since the outbreak of the doping scandal involving Simona Halep, the legendary Chris Evert has always been on the side of the Romanian. In the light of Halep’s new statements, the American shifts the responsibility “to the yard” of Muratoglu’s team.

Chris Evert says Muratoglu’s team is to blame for everything that’s happening with Simona Halep

In a recent interview with Euronews, Simona (32 years old) talked about the possible end of her career if the TAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport) does not reduce her 4-year suspension for doping.

Halep also said she had severed all ties with Muratoglu’s team and expected her former coach (53) to defend her earlier in the lopsided fight with the ITIA (not the International Tennis Integrity Agency).

The winner of 18 Grand Slam tournaments, Evert spoke on social networks (on her personal account X – formerly Twitter) about Halep’s current situation, while the American blamed Muratoglu’s team.

Simona Halep’s appeal is scheduled for February (there is no appeal from TAS). I, for one, believe that she is innocent. Yes, he had roxadustat in his system, but he gave his whole life to his coach and his team.

It was they who controlled his career, his nutrition, his management. I think she’s innocent, period,” Chris Evert bluntly stated on social media.

“Faith and trust in others, naivety… Just saying again, I don’t think she knew. But, yes, you are responsible for what you put into your own body,” Evert added.

Who is Chris Evert?

Evert was born on December 21, 1954 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA, and first rose to the WTA No. 1 ranking on November 3, 1975.

During his career, he won 154 tournaments, including 18 Grand Slam tournaments (two Australian Open, seven Roland Garros, three Wimbledon and six US Open).

He collected $8,896,195 from tennis prizes alone. In his career, he has 1304 wins and 144 losses.

In 2011, he became a commentator and analyst for ESPN, a position he continues to hold today.

Evert has three sons, Colton, Nicholas and Alexander, and works at the Evert Tennis Academy in Boca Raton, Florida, according to ESPN.

Simona Halep will be heard at the CAS on February 7-9, 2024

CAS has published a list of all the cases it has on its agenda in the coming weeks, and Simone’s name appears on the calendar for the Lausanne forum.

Thus, TAS will analyze the 4-year disqualification imposed by the independent sports tribunal in the doping case of Simona Halep in the period from February 7 to 9, 2024.

It will be recalled that Halep appealed to the CAS 4-year disqualification for doping on October 24 this year.

The Swiss court said at the time that the former WTA leader had asked to overturn the decision of the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) and “reduce” its sanctions.

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What you need to know about Simona Halep’s doping case:

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

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

• Halep was suspended for 4 years for two separate violations of the Tennis Anti-Doping Program (TADP): the presence and use of the substance roxadustat in a urine sample collected after an anti-doping test conducted at the 2022 US Open (1) and a violation of her biological passport (2).

• Simone has only one appeal: the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne.

• If the 4-year disqualification remains in force, then the ex-WTA leader can theoretically return to the tennis court on October 6, 2026. Halep will be 35 years old at that time.