Simona Halep’s million-dollar lawsuit for positive test could ruin her career

The former world number 1 Simona Halep is suing the Canadian company that made the nutritional supplement he says led to his failing a doping test and receiving a four-year ban that could have ended his career.

Halep is asking for more than 10 million dollars in damages, about 9.3 million euros in exchange rates, to Quantum Nutritionthat works as Schinoussa Superfoodsafter testing positive to US Open 2022 through Roxadustata drug often used by people with anemia.

Roxadustat is on the list of prohibited substances of World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) because it can increase hemoglobin levels and the production of red blood cells to increase immunity.

Halep, 32, said she used Schinoussa supplements during the tournament. Flushing Meadows of 2022 and that the Keto MCTs that he took was contaminated with Roxadustat, which was not listed on the label.

The Romanian, two-time Grand Slam champion (Roland Garros’2018 and Wimbledon’2019)said he never used banned substances and that Quantum’s negligence and false claims that his supplement was legal harmed his career.

Halep is also seeking punitive damages and filed a lawsuit in state court New York. Quantum, based in Scarborough, Ont., did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Its founder told Canada’s The Globe and Mail newspaper in October that Halep was looking for a scapegoat and that her company was becoming “that scapegoat.”

Halep appealed to Court of Arbitration for Sports (TAS) against the four-year suspension imposed in September by the court of International Tennis Integrity Agency.

While agreeing that Halep did not know the supplement might contain Roxadustat, the court said contamination could not explain the amount of the drug found in her urine sample.

“I really believe the truth will come out and the day will come when I’ll be on the slopes again,” Halep said last week after her CAS intervention.