'Shocked' Simona Halep rips ITIA again, accuses them of hypocrisy

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Simona Halep is accusing the International Tennis Integrity Agency of doing everything they can to "deny her rights" to be heard in front of an independent tribunal. In October, the ITIA suspended Halep after the Romanian tested positive for anti-anaemia drug Roxadustat.

This past Friday, the ITIA hit Halep with a second anti-doping charge over "irregularities" in her athlete biological passport. Halep, who has a scheduled hearing in front of an independent tribunal for the end of May, has had her hearing twice postponed so far.

According to Halep, the ITIA is again attempting to postpone the hearing.

Halep rips the ITIA again

"I am once again extremely shocked and disappointed by the ITIA's attitude. While the ITIA via their representative Nicole Sapstead was publicly stating 3 days ago that the ITIA has remained committed to engaging Mrs Halep in an empathetic, efficient and timely manner', they were at the same time officially requesting the Tribunal to delay my hearing for the third time.

The ITIA publicly states one thing while privately doing another, I have repeatedly asked for my hearing and the ITIA has repeatedly sought to delay it. When is it going to stop? I ask the question once again. I am entitled to a quick hearing.

Acting this way is contrary to my rights," Halep said in a new statement.

pic.twitter.com/zflOtJzBjp — Simona Halep (@Simona_Halep) May 22, 2023

On Friday, Halep accused the ITIA of "harassment" and said she was shocked by the way they were conducting their investigation.

"Since October 7, when I got charged by the ITIA for a suspicion of doping, I have lived the worst nightmare I have ever gone through in my life. Not only has my name been soiled in the worst possible way, but I am facing a constant determination from the ITIA for a reason that I cannot understand, to prove my guilt while I haven't EVER even thought of taking any illicit substance," Halep said on Friday.