After Simona Halep Another Romanian Player Suspended for Prohibited Substance

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Vivek Devane | Last updated May 12, 2025 8:52 AM ET

Romanian tennis player Irina Fetecau has been suspended by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) for 10 months after testing positive for a banned substance. The 28-year-old was found to have 4-Methylpentan-2-amine, an illegal stimulant, in her body when she consumed a contaminated pre-training supplement.

Fetecau, who has competed for Romania in many ITF and WTA tournaments, returned a positive after consuming "Gorillalpha Yeti Juice," one of those sports foods later found to include the prohibited stimulant but one that was not marked as containing any. The violation was deemed by the ITIA to have been accidental and the product of an adulterated product and a circumstance leading to the reduction of the ban.

Via ITIA: Romanian tennis player Irina Fetecău has been suspended for a period of 10 months for testing positive for the prohibited substance 4-Methylpentan-2-amine, a stimulant, after consuming a contaminated pre-workout ‘Gorillalpha Yeti Juice’ supplement. pic.twitter.com/chqWIPVC3m
— Reem Abulleil (@ReemAbulleil) May 12, 2025

The positive test report adds to the emphasis on supplement use by elite athletes, and follows a recent string of doping scandal outbreaks among Romanian tennis players—in particular the high-profile suspension of two-time Grand Slam title winner Simona Halep. While Halep's was over the banned drug Roxadustat, Fetecau's case adds to the risks to sportspersons who take unregulated nutritional supplements.

The ITIA stated that Fetecau co-operated throughout the investigation and submitted evidence of accidental ingestion. The 10-month ineligibility is served from the sample date, so she is free to return to compete later in the year.

This latest trend is an eye-opener to sportsmen in general, reminding them to be careful about the supplements they use, as the consequences of even accidental violations can prove calamitous for their career as professional athletes. The ITIA is still calling upon the athletes to consult experts and only use authorized supplements so that incidents like this one can be avoided.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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