Simona Halep’s former coach says ‘no chance’ the two-time grand slam champion knowingly took banned substance
Former world No 1 Simona Halep is yet to provide a full written statement about her allegations against former head coach Daniel Nestor, but the Australian Open runner-up has already admitted the first of many lies.
At the start of 2016, Halep was involved in a heated exchange with Nestor at a press conference in Japan.
According to the Swiss, the two clashed over whether Halep knew the banned substance meldonium was being used in her supplements.
However, Halep has not confirmed to the media whether she will be more honest with her story from here on out.
Ahead of a press conference on Tuesday, World Anti-Doping Authority head of global operations Markidespread Roddick said the organisation had received Halep’s full statement.
“The agency has received her full statement as well as additional information from the federation and has subsequently reviewed their findings,” Roddick said.
“We are currently looking through all the information we have received to determine the next steps.”
Nestor, who is currently the head coach of Argentina’s Davis Cup team, has denied any wrongdoing in the matter.
“The accusation that I administered meldonium to Simona is a complete lie,” Nestor told reporters on Tuesday ahead of the press conference.
The World Anti-Doping Agency has now launched an investigation into Halep’s allegations, and is waiting for the player to respond to an official request from Roddick, who heads the anti-doping agency.
While Roddick has previously said his anti-doping agency will use Halep’s comments against her, he also said: “There can be no way to know, however, given what she admits in her statement, that the athlete is telling the truth.”
He continued: “At this stage I can say with conviction that we have no basis for disbelieving Simona Halep’s statement.”
Lukas Rosol, the chief executive of the World Anti-Doping Agency said: “We are examining what new information we receive and what new information we then seek from Simona