The Romanian former world number one is suspended during a doping investigation since the banned preparation roxadustat was found in a doping test she submitted in connection with the US Open.
Her former coach, Australian Darren Cahill, does not believe that Halep took roxadustat on purpose.
"First of all, there is no chance that Simona knowingly took any of the banned substances on the doping list.
No.
Zero.”, he writes on Instagram.
“She's an athlete who got stressed out over anything prescribed to her by doctors (which rarely happened), or over any supplement she was using or considering using.
Simona repeated: 'please double check this, triple check this to make sure it's legal, safe and allowed.
If you're not sure, I won't take it'”.
"Never ever"
31-year-old Halep has also denied that she would have taken the preparation on purpose.
“Throughout my career, I have never once considered the idea of cheating because it goes against all the values I have been taught.
I feel confused and betrayed now that I am faced with such an unfair situation.
I will fight to the end to prove that I have never knowingly taken an illegal substance and I have faith that the truth will come out sooner or later,” she wrote on Instagram.
Roxadustat is an anti-anemia medicine that stimulates the production of red blood cells.