Hey, everyone … let’s do a one-topic column. Next week we can get back to tennis, Laver Cup, events in Asia, Coco-Mania, best wishes for Brad Gilbert, etc.
There were a lot of questions and comments and social media about Simona Halep and last week’s bombshell decision finding “substantial evidence” of “intentional” doping violations, accompanied by a ban of four years. The decision is here. Even by legal standards, it’s a bit of a slog. And it does leave several obvious questions unanswered (or admits there is no dispositive answer). But it’s extraordinarily detailed and gives the rationale behind not only the guilty finding but also the delay. Trying to incorporate as many of your questions/comments as possible, here are some of my takeaways.
• Halep’s a cheater! No, Halep’s the victim of a witch hunt! You take a binary stand at your peril. We can all point to athletes who have had decisions reduced or vacated on appeal, or who have successfully pointed to procedural errors. We can also point to many more athletes who have protested their guilt or furnished alibis, only to admit guilt later. That said, objectively, this is a lot of forensic detail and a rough set of facts for Halep and her defense team. Her lawyer, Howard Jacobs, is tops in class. But it will be a challenge to overcome this fact pattern.
