Tara Moore has had her four-year suspension for doping upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), overturning a prior ruling that cleared her of wrongdoing. The British doubles player had tested positive in April 2022 for anabolic steroids Boldenone and Nandrolone during a WTA 250 event in Bogota, Colombia. Moore has consistently claimed her positive test was due to contaminated meat, a defense supported by the Colombian Olympic Committee and tennis figures such as Judy Murray and Darren Cahill.
An independent tribunal had cleared Moore in December 2023, concluding the contamination was likely from meat consumption. However, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) appealed, citing the high concentration of Nandrolone found in Moore’s sample, which exceeded the allowable threshold by a large margin.
ITIA CEO Karen Moorhouse stated, “Our bar for appealing a first instance decision is high, and the decision is not taken lightly. In this case, our independent scientific advice was that the player did not adequately explain the high level of Nandrolone present in their sample. Today’s ruling is consistent with this position.”
Moore has expressed profound frustration with the anti-doping system, describing it as “broken” and has been vocal about the inconsistencies in doping cases involving elite players such as Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek. She has played a role in establishing the Athlete Counsel & Equity Program with the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) to provide pro bono legal support for players facing anti-doping and anti-corruption allegations.
Reflecting on her ordeal, Moore wrote on social media, “The last three and a half years have broken me to pieces. I don’t need a panel to tell me I’m innocent. I know the integrity I bring and I know I am innocent. I believe everyone over the last couple of years can see how subjective this process is.”
Ranked No. 864 in singles and 187 in doubles at age 32, Moore returned to competition in April 2024 after a provisional suspension and a GoFundMe effort to rebuild her career. Her case highlights ongoing challenges within tennis’s anti-doping system and the difficulties faced by players contesting violations.