Sharapova revealed on Monday that she had failed a drug test at the Australian Open in January, saying she had taken the circulation-boosting drug used to treat heart ailments since 2006, but had not spotted that it was added to the banned list as of 1 January. Nike, watch brand Tag Heuer and luxury vehicle company Porsche moved quickly to distance themselves from the five-time Grand Slam victor after she announced the positive test.
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Sharapova detailed how often she took the drug, and explained that numerous warnings she received were via emails that made the pertinent information hard to locate or come across without significant digging through links and logging into a password-protected site.
“The stories like this happen regularly”, he said.
“I obviously wish her all the best”, the Serb told TMZ”.
Another factor that may help Sharapova, Thompson said, is inconsistent wording in the World Anti-Doping Agency’s prohibited list.
If you take performance-enhancing drugs and you fail a drug test then you should be suspended.
However, Eliasch said Sharapova, under contract with Head since 2011, had “earned the benefit of the doubt” after making an “honest” mistake.
Andy Murray has expressed disappointment at his racket sponsor Head’s support for Maria Sharapova after the five-time grand slam victor admitted failing a drugs test.
Earlier, British media claimed that Sharapova may face a disqualification at least for two years, if the abuse of meldonium was recognized not deliberate.
“Last year, I certainly got tested a lot but this year I’ve been tested twice and we’re three months into the year, whereas last year I got tested loads”.
According to The International Tennis Federation, Sharapova will be provisionally suspended pending determination of the case.
Though Sharapova did a “textbook” job of owning up to her mistake, questions linger, including whether she listed the drug among her medications when she was tested in Australia, said Paul Swangard, who lectures at the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center at the University of Oregon.
The Austrian company Head is the first main sponsor to back tennis star Maria Sharapova after her drug-use admission. You just don’t expect high level athletes at the top of many different sports to have heart conditions. “In this moment, I am so proud to call you my fans”. Sharapova has 35 career singles titles and more than $36 million in career prize winnings.
Former Wimbledon champion Murray has always been a vocal campaigner for increased bans and more drug testing in tennis and the Scot has offered these forthright views on Sharapova’s fall from grace.
“I didn’t take the medicine every day”. Of the 76 percent of people that know of her globally, 74 percent say they like the tennis ace and 75 percent say they find her aspirational, Repucom’s Stainer said.
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“She is taking something that is not generally permitted in her country of residence for medical purposes, so she says, so there must be a doctor following this”, Pound said.
