Simona Halep,
the Romanian tennis star, has been provisionally suspended from playing tennis.
Her suspension came after she tested positive for a substance called Roxadustat
at August’s US Open. “Simona Halep, 31-year-old Romanian tennis player has been
provisionally suspended under Article 7.12.1 of the 2022 Tennis Anti-Doping
Programme (TADP),” the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) said in a
statement.

Following
the announcement, Simona Halep put out a statement on Twitter. “Today begins
the hardest match of my life: a fight for the truth. I have been notified that
I have tested positive for a substance called Roxadustat in an extremely low
quantity, which came as the biggest shock of my life,” her statement read.

Also Read | Simona Halep, Romanian tennis star, provisionally suspended for doping

“Throughout
my whole career, the idea of cheating never even crossed my mind even once, as
it is totally against the value system I have been educated with. Facing such an
unfair situation, I feel completely confused and betrayed.”

“I will
fight until the end to prove that I never knowingly took any prohibited substance
and I have faith that sooner or later, the truth will come out.”

“It’s not
about the titles or the money. It’s about honor, and the love story I have
developed with the game of tennis over the last 25 years,” her statement read.  

Also Read | What is Roxadustat, substance Simona Halep is accused of having taken?

Roxadustat,
the drug Simona Halep is accused of having taken, is an anti-anaemia drug. The
drug apparently helps in the production of red blood cells in the body.  

Halep
currently ranks number 9 in the world. She is the most high-profile tennis
player to have been accused of doping since Maria Sharapova in 2016.

Simona
Halep had announced in September that she and undergone nose surgery to improve
her breathing and was thus ending her 2022 season early. The 31-year-old tennis
star has won two World Tennis Association (WTA) titles this year.

The ITIA
statement said: “While provisionally suspended, the player is ineligible to
compete in or attend any sanctioned events organised by the governing bodies of
the sport.”