After the case of Simona Halep, who returned this week in Miami, the WTA would change the rules to emulate what happens with injured or giving birth players
The WTAthe world women’s tennis association, began a review of its rules so that tennis players acquitted in doping cases or whose sanction is reduced return to the circuit with special rankings in the future, after the case of Simona Halepwho returned to the circuit this week in Miami after a 9-month ban.
The rule change is being considered after what happened with the Romanian tennis player, who reappeared on Tuesday in the American WTA 1000 with a wild card after the CAS, the highest sports court, reduced the initial four-year sanction imposed on him to nine months. Simona Halep.
Unlike serious injuries or maternity leave, players banned for doping do not currently enjoy a protected classification upon return and often have to rebuild their careers from scratch. “We have initiated a review process of this standard, as we believe it is appropriate to consider it,” a spokesperson for the WTA to the agency Reuters by email.
Simona Halep, an emblematic case
Simona Halepchampion of Roland Garros (2018) and Wimbledon (2019), was suspended in October 2022 after testing positive for roxadustat – a banned drug that stimulates the production of red blood cells – in the US Open of that year. The player, 32, had also been charged with another crime last year for irregularities in her biological passport, a method designed to monitor different blood parameters over time to reveal possible doping.
However, Simona Halepwho categorically denied the charges against him, was cleared to return to action after the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS), based in Lausanne, ruled that his suspension should be reduced to nine months, a period he had already served.
The Spanish Paula Badosa He defeated her 1-6, 6-4 and 6-3 in the first round of the WTA 1000 in Miami. For now, Simona Halepwho does not appear in the WTA rankings, will have to resort to wild cards to compete in the biggest tournaments, but that may not be too difficult: the former world No. 1 was in the top ten before her suspension.
WTA: British Tara Moore, victim of injustice?
On the contrary, the British Tara Moore acknowledged at the beginning of the month on the social network x that she may find it more difficult to resurrect her career after being cleared of an anti-doping rule violation. “Great that @Simona_Halep can get back on her feet so quickly. Too bad it’s not the same for me and for other players who have been exonerated and who are not so high,” argued Moore, who in June 2022 was ranked 77 of the WTA doubles ranking and 145th in singles, when she was forced to be out of action for 19 months after failing a doping test.
An independent court had decided that contaminated meat was the source of the banned substances detected and that the player was “without fault or negligence.” It should be remembered that the British Tara Moore and the Chilean Barbara Gaticaprovisionally suspended since June 2022, were acquitted of the doping accusations against them.
Source: Ambito
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