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Tennis Tsarina Maria Sharapova's 'shocking' doping admission: All you need to know

By Avinash

Five-time Grand Slam tennis champion Maria Sharapova has announced that she failed a dope test at the Australian Open, following which she was provisionally suspended by International Tennis Federation (ITF).

The glamorous Russian tennis star and the highest-paid sportwoman admitted that she isn't sure what punishment she'll face for her "huge mistake." (Failed drug test, says Sharapova)

Five-time Grand Slam tennis champion Maria Sharapova


The former world number on Monday said a change in the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) banned list for 2016 led to an inadvertent violation.

Here is all you should know about the shocking doping revelation by the Tennis Tsarina:

What Maria Sharapova tested positive for?

Sharapova tested positive for Meldonium, a drug the 28-year-old tennis star said she had been taking since 2006 but was only added to the banned list this year.

What all Maria Sharapova revealed?

A sombre Sharapova said at a press conference at a downtown Los Angeles hotel on Monday, "I did fail the test and I take full responsibility for it."

"I made a huge mistake. I let my fans down. I let my sport down that I've been playing since the age of four that I love so deeply." (Blow of this Women's Day: Maria Sharapova provisionally suspended)

"I know that with this, I face consequences and I don't want to end my career this way -- and I really hope I will be given another chance to play this game."

Sharapova had been taking the drug for the past 10 years:

"For the past 10 years, I have been given a medicine called Mildronate by my family doctor and it also has another name of Meldonium, which I did not know.

"It is very important for you to understand that for 10 years this medicine was not on WADA's banned list and I had been legally taking the medicine. But on 1 January [2016], the rules have changed and meldonium became a prohibited substance."

ITF confirms Sharapova tested positive:

The ITF confirmed in a statement that Sharapova had tested positive on January 26 and had accepted the finding when she was notified on March 2.

WADA published its list of prohibited substances - including meldomiun - on 29 September last year, and the list came into force on January 1, 2016.

What did WADA say?

WADA issued a statement saying officials were aware of WADA issued a statement saying officials were aware of Sharapova's case, but would not comment further until the ITF had ruled.

Maria Sharapova latest victim of WADA.

Nike suspends contract with Sharapova:

US sportswear maker Nike said it would halt its relationship with her as the case moves forward.

"We are saddened and surprised by the news about Maria Sharapova. We have decided to suspend our relationship with Maria while the investigation continues," Nike said in a statement.

What is Sharapova's attorney saying?

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.

Shamil Tarpishchev, head of the Russian tennis federation, told the TASS news agency he believed Sharapova would still have a chance to play at the Rio Olympics in August.

Story first published: Tuesday, August 8, 2017, 11:07 [IST]
Other articles published on Aug 8, 2017