Roland Garros organizers have publicly revealed for the first time the reason why they did not grant a wild card to Simona Halep.
The tournament director, Amelie Mauresmo, disclosed that Simona’s situation would have been different if the CAS had declared her innocent in the doping case.
Mauresmo recalls that Simona only received a reduction in her suspension and was not cleared of doping allegations.
"If Simona had been cleared in her appeal to the sports tribunal, maybe we would have made a different decision. Today, she has not been cleared of punishment. We felt compelled to favor other players and athletes from France, some younger ones, rather than Simona, considering everything that has happened. There was also Caroline Wozniacki, who had made a request. These are very difficult choices to make. We know we are causing disappointment, and it is always difficult," Mauresmo said to Eurosport.
Initially, Simona Halep received a 4-year suspension from the Sports Resolution tribunal, which was reduced to 9 months by the CAS.
The CAS decided to reduce the punishment considering that the doping occurred without Simona's knowledge, from a contaminated nutritional supplement.
