Doping has been a part of sports since the advancement of medical science. Over the years, there have been many methods to find doping substances in athletes. With the development of science, it also gets easier to hide these substances. The tennis sphere has lately been affected by the doping ban of Simona Halep. The better the player, the more controversy it creates around the sport.
Halep is a two-time grand slam champion on the WTA tour. She was the No.1 player for 64 weeks, which generated more concerns for other players. Halep tested positive for Roxadustat at the 2022 US Open. She lost in the opening round of the US Open and has not played a match ever since. Currently, she has been banned by the International Tennis Integrity Agency till October 2026.
NEW: Simona Halep says she is “shocked and disappointed” by the decision to ban her for four years for doping.
Halep says she will appeal to Court of Arbitration for Sport and take legal action against the supplement company she says gave her contaminated goods. pic.twitter.com/mmWuUs0q7H
— James Gray (@jamesgraysport) September 12, 2023
After her ban was announced, Serena Williams suggested that it should be for 8 years. Williams had lost to Halep in the 2019 Wimbledon final. It brought up several questions about stripping Halep of her titles. The Romanian snapped back at her haters by saying that they could not digest their losses against her. Halep has won over 24 titles in her career and is preparing to appeal the case.
Simona Halep case lacks evidence of constant drug use
The punishment for doping has always been harsh to the athletes. They lose their time and fame as punishment. Older athletes who are caught are given years of ban, which makes it almost impossible to come back to the sport. Younger athletes are affected mentally and also lose endorsements. If the evidence is strong that they have used banned substances, then the titles can also be taken away.
Journalist Jon Wertheim said, “We should have no issue stripping dirty athletes of their titles and points and prize money. But it needs to be backed up with evidence. There is nothing to suggest that Simona Halep was cheating in 2019, the year she beat Serena in the Wimbledon final ” via Sports Illustrated. In Halep’s case, she had cleared numerous drug tests prior to 2022.
It’s a pity that Simona Halep won’t be stripped of her titles despite the four doping suspension. Other sporting codes must learn from track & field.
— Zoe (@Mhlana) September 12, 2023
So the 32-year-old winning the title at Wimbledon and French Open cannot be disputed. If there were proof that she had been recklessly using it over the years, then the punishment would have been even more severe. Halep will hope that her appeal becomes successful, or else she might not ever return to the tour.