‘This is my right’ – Former world No. 1 Simona Halep ‘devastated’ at third hearing postponement over anti-doping breach

Simona Halep has said she is “devastated” that her hearing for an anti-doping breach during the US Open has been postponed for a third time.

The former world No. 1 was provisionally suspended by the International Tennis Integrity Agency in October after testing positive for a banned substance, Roxadustat.

She has since missed the Australian Open and will sit out of Roland-Garros and Wimbledon.

The frustrated 31-year-old took to social media to vent her frustration at the decision and slammed the International Tennis Integrity Agency’s handling of the case.

“Once again, tonight, I am devastated,” she wrote in an open message. “The ITF (ITIA) has once again, for the third time postponed my hearing one month later!

“I am waiting to be judged since last October. In December, I have finally been able, thanks to experts, to show that the lot of the supplement I was using had been contaminated, which caused the positive control.

“I have asked, as the rules of the anti-doping state it, for a quick hearing: this is my right, it is written in the rules!

“Unfortunately, the ITF (ITIA) has postponed my hearing three times; denying me the right to be judged by an Independent Tribunal, [and] not allowing me to participate in any tournament for 8 months.

“Now I know that I will have missed the Australian Open, Roland Garros and Wimbledon. Not to mention that I will have lost all my points and my ranking.

“Not only they are killing my reputation, but also me as a professional player, and I don’t even talk about the consequences on my mental health.

“This disrespect of the rules by the ITF (ITIA) regarding the fast hearing I am entitled to have, is so disrespectful to me that I have no more words…

“Justice delayed is justice denied.”

The two-time Grand Slam winner was charged with a further anti-doping breach last week in relation to irregularities in her athlete biological passport, the ITIA confirmed.

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