Two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep hit with 4-year ban over anti-doping violations

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The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) on Tuesday announced that two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep has been given a four-year suspension after violating the sport’s anti-doping policy.

The ITIA said it found that Halep, 27, "committed intentional Anti-Doping Rule Violations" after testing positive for roxadustat, a banned substance, in drug tests at the 2022 US Open and for irregularities in her Athlete Biological Passport (ABP).   

Simona Halep of Romania celebrates during the ladies' singles final against Sloane Stephens of the U.S. during Day 14 of the 2018 French Open at Roland Garros in Paris on June 9, 2018.  (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

"After a complex and rigorous hearing process, we welcome the independent tribunal’s decision," ITIA CEO Karen Moorhouse said. 

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 "The volume of evidence for the tribunal to consider in both the roxadustat and ABP proceedings was substantial."

In a statement released Tuesday, Halep denied knowingly or intentionally using any banned substance and said the 2022 failed drug test came as a result of a contaminated supplement. 

"I believe in a clean sport and in almost two decades as a professional tennis player, through hundreds of tournaments and two Grand Slam titles, I have taken 200 blood and urine tests to check for prohibited substances — all of which have been clean, until August 29, 2022," she said.

Simona Halep of Romania reacts while playing against Daria Snigur of Ukraine in her first round match on Day 1 of the US Open Tennis Championships at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis