Tara Moore Files $20 Million Lawsuit Against WTA Over Doping Ban

Former British doubles No. 1 Tara Moore is seeking $20 million in damages from the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), alleging negligence contributed to a four-year doping ban that has jeopardized her career.

Contaminated Meat Claim at the Heart of the Dispute

Moore claims she tested positive for the banned anabolic steroids boldenone and nandrolone after consuming contaminated meat while competing in Bogotá, Colombia, in May 2022. She argues the WTA possessed concrete, actionable knowledge of a specific and well-documented danger of contaminated meat in Bogotá, Colombia, yet it chose to remain silent, failing to warn its athletes about that risk.

Timeline of Events

Moore was initially provisionally suspended following the positive test. An independent tribunal cleared her of any wrongdoing in December 2023, concluding she bore no fault or negligence. However, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) appealed that ruling to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

CAS Ruling Reinstates Ban

In July 2025, CAS overturned the independent tribunal’s decision, reinstating Moore’s four-year ban, though 19 months were deducted for time already served under provisional suspension. This means Moore will not be eligible to compete again until the beginning of the 2028 season.

“After reviewing the scientific and legal evidence, the majority of the CAS Panel considered that the player did not succeed in proving that the concentration of nandrolone in her sample was consistent with the ingestion of contaminated meat,”

CAS media release

CAS too stated that Moore failed to establish that the ADRV (anti-doping rule violation) was not intentional.

Moore’s Reaction and Legal Argument

Following the CAS ruling, Moore expressed her frustration with the anti-doping system, stating the anti-doping system is broken and describing the process as subjective. She also said, “The last three-and-a-half years have broken me into so many pieces. As my family and friends have scrambled to pick up the broken shards of me, they’ve glued me back together in the form of a different person.”

Moore’s lawsuit alleges that the CAS system presumes the athlete’s guilt and imposes on the accused the near-impossible burden of proving innocence, effectively reversing the neutral fact analysis and evidentiary burdens that are foundational to New York and U.S. Civil law.

WTA Response and Ongoing Proceedings

The WTA has stated that the arbitration was conducted by a neutral arbitrator and there is no basis to vacate the arbitrator’s award. The organization added that it respect[s] the judicial process and will not comment further while the matter is pending. CAS and the ITIA have declined to comment.

Growing Concerns Over Meat Contamination

The case highlights growing concerns about meat contamination and its potential impact on athletes. The Mexican Open in Acapulco has taken preventative measures this week by not serv[ing] meat in its player restaurant to address these concerns.

FAQ

• What is Tara Moore suing the WTA for? She is seeking $20 million in damages, alleging negligence led to her doping ban.
• What caused Tara Moore’s positive doping test? Moore claims it was due to consuming contaminated meat in Colombia.
• What was the outcome of the CAS ruling? CAS reinstated Moore’s four-year doping ban.

This case raises important questions about athlete responsibility, organizational duty of care and the fairness of anti-doping procedures. The outcome of Moore’s lawsuit could have significant implications for the future of athlete protection and the handling of contamination cases in professional tennis.