Former world primary Simona Halep has accused tennis’ doping authority of “publicly stating one factor whereas privately doing one other” by requesting an additional delay to her listening to.
The Romanian, 31, has been suspended since October after testing optimistic for a banned substance on the US Open.
The second cost is separate to the one for which she is already suspended.
In a press release on Twitter, 2019 Wimbledon champion Halep mentioned the Worldwide Tennis Integrity Company (ITIA) had requested a 3rd delay.
Halep, who denies the fees, mentioned she was “extraordinarily shocked and dissatisfied by the ITIA’s angle”.
“Whereas the ITIA by way of their consultant Nicole Sapstead was publicly stating three days in the past that the ITIA ‘has remained dedicated to partaking Mrs Halep in an empathetic, environment friendly and well timed method’, they had been on the identical time formally requesting the tribunal to delay my listening to… for the third time,” Halep mentioned.
“The ITIA publicly states one factor whereas privately doing one other, I’ve repeatedly requested for my listening to and the ITIA has repeatedly sought to delay it.
“When is it going to cease? I ask the query as soon as once more. I’m entitled to a fast listening to. Performing this manner is opposite to my rights.”
Halep’s coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, mentioned the ITIA had performed a “double sport” from “day one”.
An ITIA spokesperson mentioned: “We now have proposed that each expenses are heard collectively to keep away from a number of hearings. To do that, we want to present all events (together with the unbiased tribunal) ample time to contemplate the numerous supplies related to the most recent cost.
“In the end it’s a resolution for the unbiased tribunal. Ms Halep additionally has the chance to make her representations to them.”
Halep’s suspension final yr was imposed after she examined optimistic for roxadustat, an anti-anaemia drug which stimulates the manufacturing of purple blood cells within the physique. She denies knowingly taking the banned substance.
The investigations into failed assessments by the ITIA are sometimes complicated, significantly when a participant denies taking a substance knowingly.
It isn’t unusual for instances to take months to be resolved.
In such instances, a participant can produce proof to disprove or mitigate the failed check. This might deliver additional investigation and testing by the ITIA, resulting in the method being additional prolonged.
