Simona Halep’s fresh controversy after doping ban

• Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) is a sport technique employed in tracking an athlete’s biological markers over time
• Halep’s ABP show anomalies and she is now faced with the herculean task of explaining it to ITIA
• The Romanian tennis player is now facing an additional charge beyond her provisional doping ban as a result of Roxadustat

Former world No 1 Simona Halep is battling fresh controversy over reported irregularities on her Athlete Biological Passport.

This is as she continues to battle her provisional doping ban by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA).

She is now faced with a herculean task of anomalies in her ABP.  An evaluation of Halep’s ABP profile by an Expert Panel led to the additional charge of an Adverse Passport Finding.

WHAT IS ATHLETE BIOLOGICAL PASSPORT?

Athlete Biological Passport is a sport technique employed in tracking an athlete’s biological markers over time. These biological markers show altered elements of blood measurements, hormones, and other bodily constituents as a result of doping.

Simona Halep. Photo/Sportstar

Further, an ABP expert panel establishes a baseline of what is regarded as normal for an athlete. This is through routine taking and analysing of samples. They include blood or urine. These experts deduce their findings from any significant deviations from the norm because it is a major indicator of the use of performance-enhancing substance use.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) created the ABP programme. It was then incorporated into the TADP under the World Anti-Doping Code (WADC).

HOW MUCH TROUBLE IS SIMONA HALEP INTO?

The Romanian tennis player is now facing an additional charge beyond her provisional doping ban as a result of Roxadustat, a banned substance that saw her banned from playing tennis in October 2022.

She tested positive for Roxadustat after a sample was taken from her at the US Open. Roxadustat is on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List for 2022.

Roxadustat triggers the release of red blood cells and is mostly used in patients battling kidney diseases and developing anaemia. It helps in masking the pain of injections. The drug functions by mimicking the body’s natural response to low blood oxygen levels, which involves inhibiting an enzyme that reduces the generation of new red blood cells and boosts iron absorption.

With the new charge, ITIA’s Anti-doping senior director Nicole Sapstead said that the ABP anomalies on Halep complicate his case.

“We understand that today’s announcement adds complexity to an already high-profile situation,” Tennis365 reports.

Sapstead further noted that ITIA is committed to resolving all issues regarding her ABP anomalies. She also acknowledges that Halep’s doping case has elicited a sharp debate across media circles and ITIA chooses to give no comment on the issue.

“From the outset of this process – and indeed any other at the ITIA – we have remained committed to engaging with Ms. Halep in an empathetic, efficient, and timely manner. It would be inappropriate for us to comment on specifics until the conclusion of the process, but we will continue to engage with the Sport Resolutions independent tribunal and Ms. Halep’s representatives as expeditiously as possible,” she stated.

Simona Halep. Photo by theScore.com

HOW DOES SIMONA HALEP FEEL ABOUT HER PROVISIONAL DOPING BAN?

Months before her fresh headache that is Athlete Biological Passport, Simona Halep said her ban is emotionally draining.  She says that she hasn’t had a moment of peace since October 2022 when ITIA broke news of her doping. A month ago, Halep pleaded with ITIA) to give her a chance to clear her name.

Halep, a two-time Grand Slam winner disputed the findings citing she was not aware that she was taking such banned substances. She said that she may have taken these substances in her supplements unknowingly.

Halep claims that she provided evidence of the contamination to the ITF in December with the expectation that her case would be reviewed by an impartial tribunal in February. However, she claims that the February hearing date was postponed, and a new date in March was similarly pushed back.

She says that her subsequent request to ITF to allow her to play was also rejected leaving her feeling dejected.  The Romanian notes that since her positive doping test, she has undergone 10 more tests, all of which returned negative. She now anticipates having a hearing in May, but she worries that it might again be postponed.