By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Tuesday, February 6, 2024
Comprehensive court coverage helped Simona Halep rise to world No. 1.
The 32-year-old Halep will appear before the Court of Arbitration for Sport this week with her competitive career hanging in the balance.
“My dream is to come back always, no matter the age,” Halep said in a recent interview.
While her comeback dream may not have an expiration date, Halep could win a shortened suspension—or face the reality of ban until late 2026 if her appeal fails.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport confirmed that the hearing in the arbitration procedures International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) v. Simona Halep will take place this week—February 7-9th—at the CAS Headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Two-time Grand Slam champion halep will be present in person for her testimony.
Witnesses and experts will attend the hearing both in person and remotely. The hearing will take place behind closed doors since neither party requested a public hearing.
The CAS said Halep “will not make any statements to the media before the end of the hearing.”
Last September, an International Tennis Integrity Agency Tribunal found Halep guilty of committing anti-doping violations and hit her with a four-year ban.
Halep’s suspension will run from October 7, 2022 until October 6, 2026, unless she wins a reduced sentence in this week’s appeal.
In her appeal, Halep is asking the Court of Arbitration for Sport to set aside the Tribunal’s decision and reduce her suspension.
In accordance with CAS procedures, a panel of arbitrators will hear Halep’s appeal.
Following the hearing, the panel will deliberate and issue an Arbitral Award containing its decision and the grounds for it.
“At this time, it is not possible to indicate a time frame for the issuance of the decision,” the CAS said in a statement. “The CAS Panel’s decision will be final and binding, with the exception of the parties’ right to file an appeal to the Swiss Federal Tribunal within 30 days on limited grounds.”
The hearing in Halep’s appeal will begin on Wednesday, February 7 at 9:30 am with the parties’ opening statements, followed by the testimony of the fact and expert witnesses.
The oral closing submissions will take place on the last day. The conclusion of the hearing should be at around 3:30 pm on Friday, February 9, the CAS said.
Photo credit: Vaughn Ridley/Getty
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