Halep criticises 'different approaches' after Swiatek ban

Two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep has questioned the "big difference" successful really tennis doping cases are handled aft world number 2 Iga Swiatek received a one-month ban.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced connected Thursday that Swiatek had accepted a one-month suspension aft testing affirmative for banned constituent trimetazidine (TMZ).

Halep, who was retired of action for much than 18 months pursuing 2 abstracted anti-doping violations, has criticised the ITIA for having "completely different approaches".

"I guidelines and inquire myself, why is location specified a large quality successful curen and judgment?" Halep posted connected Instagram connected Friday.

"I can't find and I don’t deliberation location tin beryllium a logical answer. It tin only beryllium bad will from ITIA, the statement that has done perfectly everything to destruct maine contempt the evidence."

Halep was provisionally suspended successful October 2022 aft testing affirmative for banned constituent roxadustat - an anti-anaemia supplier which stimulates the accumulation of reddish humor cells successful the body.

The Romanian was later banned for 4 years - a play which was reduced to 9 months successful March aft an entreaty astatine the Court of Arbitration for Sport

Halep ever maintained her innocence and based on she had taken a contaminated supplement.

"I mislaid 2 years of my career, I mislaid galore nights erstwhile I couldn't sleep, thoughts, anxiety, questions without answers," the erstwhile world number 1 said.

"How is it imaginable that successful identical cases happening astir the aforesaid time, ITIA to person wholly different approaches to my detriment?"

Swiatek tested affirmative for a bosom medication, TMZ, successful an out-of-competition sample successful August 2024, erstwhile she was world number one.

The ITIA accepted the five-time awesome winner's usurpation was caused by contamination of the regulated non-prescription medicine melatonin, manufactured and sold successful Poland, which Swiatek took for pitchy lag and slumber issues.

An ITIA spokesperson told BBC Sport location were "very important differences" betwixt Halep's lawsuit and Swiatek's.

"No 2 cases are the same, they often impact different circumstances, and nonstop comparisons are not ever helpful," the ITIA said.

"The merchandise contaminated successful Ms Swiatek's lawsuit was a regulated medication, not a supplement."

Swiatek's suspension comes aft men's world number 1 Jannik Sinner tested positive for clostebol successful March.

Although the ITIA accepted location was "no responsibility aliases negligence" attached to the 23-year-old Italian, the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) has launched an entreaty to Cas.

The ITIA said: "We woody pinch each lawsuit based connected the facts and evidence, not a player's name, ranking aliases nationality. When a prohibited constituent is recovered successful a player's system, we analyse it thoroughly.

"We impulse players to workout utmost be aware erstwhile taking supplements and we are ever happy to reply immoderate questions they have."