The WTA has begun a evaluate of its guidelines that might see gamers cleared of doping offences or have their bans decreased return to the circuit with “particular rankings” in future, the governing physique of ladies’s tennis informed Reuters on Wednesday.
The rule change is being thought-about following the high-profile case of Simona Halep, who made her comeback on the Miami Open with a wildcard on Tuesday after the Romanian’s four-year doping ban was lower to 9 months by sport’s highest courtroom.
Not like within the case of great accidents or maternity depart, gamers banned for doping offences are at the moment not afforded protected rankings on their return and infrequently should rebuild their careers from scratch.
“Now we have begun a means of reviewing this rule as we imagine it’s applicable to contemplate,” a WTA spokesperson informed Reuters through e mail.
“The exact timeline for any potential rule change and its subsequent implementation might be depending on the suggestions obtained from our members.
Former Wimbledon and French Open winner Halep was suspended in October 2022 after testing constructive for roxadustat – a banned drug that stimulates the manufacturing of pink blood cells – on the U.S. Open that yr.
The 32-year-old was additionally charged with one other offence final yr because of irregularities in her athlete organic passport, a technique designed to watch totally different blood parameters over time to disclose potential doping.
READ | Returning Halep rails at Wozniacki after ‘cheat’ feedback
However Halep, who vigorously denied the costs in opposition to her, was allowed to return to motion after the Lausanne-based Courtroom of Arbitration for Sport dominated that her suspension ought to be slashed to 9 months, a interval she had already served.
She was overwhelmed 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 by Paula Badosa within the opening spherical in Miami.
RELY ON WILDCARDS
For now, the unranked Halep might want to depend on wildcards to compete within the largest tournaments however that will not show too tough for the previous world primary who was ranked inside the highest 10 earlier than her suspension.
Britain’s former doubles world primary Tara Moore, nonetheless, mentioned earlier this month on X, previously Twitter, that she might discover it harder to resurrect her profession after being cleared of an anti-doping rule violation.
“Nice that @Simona_Halep is ready to get again onto her toes so rapidly. Disgrace it’s not the identical for myself and different gamers who’ve been exonerated that aren’t so excessive on the totem pole,” mentioned Moore, who was ranked a career-high 77 in doubles in June 2022 when she was pressured out of motion for 19 months after failing a medicine check.
“The WTA wants a rule that if a participant is discovered with NO FAULT OR NEGLIGENCE AT ALL they need to a minimum of be given a protecting (rating),” added the 31-year-old, who was cleared of doping final December after she proved the supply of her constructive check was contaminated meat.
The Skilled Tennis Gamers Affiliation (PTPA) welcomed the WTA transfer to contemplate a rule change.
“Time and alternatives misplaced can by no means be totally recaptured,” mentioned PTPA Govt Director Ahmad Nassar.
“Due to this fact, the PTPA helps gamers exonerated of doping offences being eligible for a particular rating upon their return to the tour.
“Now we have referred to as for such a rule up to now and welcome its consideration now.”