Five-time Grand Slam champion and the world’s highest-paid female athlete, Maria Sharapova, announced Monday that she had tested positive for the recently banned drug Meldonium at the Australian Open.
News Flash: Tennis Star Maria Sharapova Fails Drug Test
Maria Sharapova Flunked Drug Test at Aussie Open
The 28-year-old Russian was tested positive for this drug, Meldonium, a substance she has taken since 2006 for health issues.
The International Tennis Federation (ITF) announced that the former world champion would be suspended starting March 12, 2016.
“I did fail the test and take full responsibility for it,” said Sharapova, who won Wimbledon as a 17-year-old in 2004.
Nike, one of Sharapova’s longtime sponsors, announced that it was suspending its relationship with her until the investigation was complete. Sharapova has her own clothing line with Nike, with whom she signed an eight-year extension in 2010.
With career earnings from tennis alone, amounting to almost £26m, Sharapova had known to be taking Mildronate for the past 10 years after being given it by her family doctor, to address to her health issues, not knowing that it was the same drug as Meldonium.
“A few days ago, after I received a letter from the ITF, I found out it also has another name of Meldonium, which I did not know,” she said.
Sharapova’s lawyer, John Haggerty, told Sports Illustrated he was hopeful the player would avoid a lengthy ban.
What do you think of this breaking news? I just hope that she can personally recover from this downfall, and be able to play once again the wonderful sport of tennis.
