"Simona Halep is a victim" - Patrick Mouratoglou continues to voice support after Romanian's doping ban

Simona Halep continues to find support from coach Patrick Mouratoglou amid her ongoing tussle with the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), which formally handed her a four-year ban over alleged doping.

The ITIA revealed on Tuesday (September 12) that they had set up an individual tribunal to investigate Halep. The Romanian has been on a provision suspension since testing positive for Roxadustat at the 2022 US Open.

The tribunal has decided to ban the former World No. 1 from participating in tennis for four years. It will last till October 6, 2026.

Patrick Mouratoglou was quick to jump to the defense of his former charge, calling out the decision on social media. He doubled down on his stance in an interview with CNN, saying it was impossible for him to understand the panel's decision.

He also criticized the ITIA's handling of the case, saying that the treatment being meted out to Halep was unfair. He dubbed the former World No. 1 a "victim" in the larger scenario.

"I've been with Simona Halep through the whole process," Patrick Mouratoglou said, adding, "And the decision is completely for me impossible to understand."

"And also the way she has been treated by the ITIA, all the ways through the process," he continued. "So unfairly it's shocking on all levels during that whole year. The treatment she has received is not normal and fair, and unacceptable for me, she's a victim."

Addressing the allegations of Halep using Roxadustat, Mouratoglou said his protege was contaminated by a product that was supposed to be clean.

"Simona Halep, she has been contaminated by a product that was supposed to be clean," Patrick Mouratoglou said. "So she's literally a victim when you're a victim and you are entering into this process with the ITIA. It's horrible."

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"This is a parody for me" - Patrick Mouratoglou on ITIA's handling of Simona Halep's doping case

Patrick Mouratoglou and Simona Halep at the 2022 US Open

Patrick Mouratoglou also blasted the ITIA for the way that the body handled Simona Halep's doping case, calling the entire process a "parody of justice".

He noted that a player who is provisionally suspended over suspected doping is entitled to a quick hearing, which the Romanian was denied.

"When you are provisionally suspended, which was a case, you are, and this is written in the rules," Patrick Mouratoglou said. "You are entitled to a quick hearing, so this is, this is a parody for me. It is a parody of justice."

In an interview back in April 2023, Halep talked about how the ITIA repeatedly postponed her hearing without providing any proper explanation, which caused her undue stress throughout the process.