The five-time Grand Slam victor has admitted to taking meldonium, a substance which was only included on the World Anti-Doping Association’s (Wada) banned list at the beginning of the year. Meldonium was added to the banned list on January 1.
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On Monday night, Sharapova held an emotional news conference in Los Angeles in which she said she failed a drug test at the Australian Open in January, where she lost to Serena Williams in the quarterfinals.
A statement from sportswear giant Nike read: “We are saddened and surprised by the news about Maria Sharapova”. “Until further details emerge and we are able to analyse the situation, we have chose to suspend planned activities”, Porsche said in a statement. “We will continue to monitor the situation”.
The 28-year-old Sharapova, a five-time grand slam champion, will be provisionally suspended starting March 12, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) said. Sharapova hasn’t played since then while recovering from a forearm injury, and she had already dropped out of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, which begins this week.
Jo Durie, former No.5, said she doesn’t believe Sharapova is a drug cheat. “I let my fans down and I let the sport down”.
Sharapova said her family doctor had been giving her mildronate, which is also called meldonium, for 10 years after she frequently became sick, had irregular EKG results, a magnesium deficiency and a family history of diabetes.
As graceful as Maria Sharapova might have been explaining her failed drug test, she didn’t ingratiate herself to former tennis star Jennifer Capriati. She is the world’s highest-paid female athlete for the 11th year running.
“I take great responsibility and professionalism in my job, and I made a huge mistake”, Sharapova added.
Sharapova said she had legally taken the drug in question, Meldonium, since 2006 to treat an array of health issues.
Swiss luxury watchmaker Tag Heuer, which has had a relationship with Sharapova since 2004, had also stopped negotiations with the player, whose previous contract ended on December 31st. She will not only have to pay back her prize money of £209,000 from the Australian Open, although that will be just a small amount of her fortune, but she could also face a ban of up to four years.
Sharapova said she was cooperating with the ITF and did not yet know the extent of the sanctions she would face. ‘I take full responsibility for it.
Her attorney, John Haggerty, said the positive test could carry a ban of up to four years, but that mitigating circumstances could see a lesser penalty.
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“Throughout her career Maria has always impressed with her professionalism as a leader and role model in our sport”.
