Simona Halep has raised concerns about the handling of doping cases involving Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek, calling the way their situations were managed “very weird.” Halep, who herself faced a doping controversy, has criticized the timing and transparency surrounding the cases of both players, particularly highlighting the fact that their failed tests were not made public immediately.
In August, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) disclosed that Sinner had avoided a suspension after testing positive twice for clostebol, an anabolic steroid, in March. An independent tribunal found that the Italian player bore “no fault or negligence” in the matter. Sinner explained that the substance entered his system when a massage therapist used a spray containing the steroid on a cut during a routine treatment. Despite this, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has appealed the decision and is seeking a two-year ban for Sinner through the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Swiatek, the world No. 2, also found herself at the center of a doping controversy when she tested positive for trimetazidine, a banned substance, ahead of the Cincinnati Open in August. The ITIA recently confirmed that Swiatek had been handed a one-month suspension, citing that she bore “no significant fault or negligence.” Swiatek had already served 22 days of the ban before the announcement, with her provisional suspension lasting from September 12 to October 4. During this period, she was forced to miss major WTA 1000 events in Beijing and Wuhan. However, the five-time Grand Slam champion returned to action in November at the WTA Finals in Riyadh and wrapped up her season at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Malaga. She will be eligible to compete in the United Cup and the Australian Open in 2025.
Halep, on the other hand, was given a four-year suspension last September after testing positive for the blood-doping agent Roxadustat at the 2022 US Open. However, her ban was reduced to nine months in March following her appeal to CAS. Having already served more than nine months of her suspension, Halep was allowed to return to tennis immediately. Despite the reduced sentence, the Romanian has repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction with the way the ITIA handled her case compared to others.
In an Instagram post, Halep pointed out the “big difference in treatment and judgment” between her situation and that of Sinner and Swiatek, accusing the ITIA of trying to ruin her career. She also raised concerns over how her case was publicized immediately, which led to widespread media scrutiny. In contrast, she noted that the doping issues involving Sinner and Swiatek were kept under wraps until after their suspensions had been decided.
Reflecting on her experience, Halep told Telegraph Sport that she found it unfair how her case was handled differently. “Some people said I didn’t discover the contamination fast enough,” Halep explained. “But the substance I had was hard to detect. It took time to trace, and it was not my fault. I never intended to find the contaminant.”
She further emphasized the disparity in treatment, adding, “What I believe isn’t fair is that my case was made public immediately, and I faced all the media heat, while for these two players (Sinner and Swiatek), the news was kept quiet until everything was settled. It’s very strange.”
Halep also recalled asking the ITIA to lift her provisional suspension to allow her to continue playing. “I said, ‘If you find me guilty in the end, take back the points, the money, and everything, but let me play.’ I asked this two or three times, but they didn’t listen. Now, Sinner and Swiatek were allowed to play during their suspensions.”
Halep’s frustrations with the differing handling of doping cases in tennis reflect broader concerns about fairness and transparency in the sport. While the ITIA and other authorities continue to monitor and investigate these cases, the controversy surrounding the handling of high-profile players like Halep, Sinner, and Swiatek has raised important questions about consistency and the treatment of athletes facing similar challenges.