Simona Halep Faces 4-Year Ban for Anti-Doping Violations

Simona Halep, a two-time Grand Slam tennis champion, has been banned from competition for four years by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) for violating anti-doping policies. The ITIA accused Halep of using the prohibited substance roxadustat and irregularities in her Athlete Biological Passport. Halep denies any wrongdoing and plans to appeal the suspension, claiming that the substance was detected due to a contaminated supplement. The suspension is backdated and will run from October 7, 2022, to October 6, 2026.