Maria Sharapova Announces Failed Drug Test At 2016 Australian Open Monday March 07,2016

 

Five-time Grand Slam tennis champion Maria Sharapova announced on Monday March 07,2016 she failed a doping test at the Australian Open, saying a change in the World Anti-Doping Agency banned list for 2016 led to the violation.

Sharapova said she tested positive for Meldonium, a substance she had been taking since 2006 but one that was added to the banned list this year. She said she did not look at the updated ban list before taking the drug.

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

"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," added Sharapova, her voice wavering.

"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."

The International Tennis Federation confirmed in a statement that the former world number one from Russia had tested positive on January 26,2016 and had accepted the finding when she was notified on March 02,2016

"Ms. Sharapova will be provisionally suspended with effect from March 12,2016, pending determination of the case," the ITF said.

Sharapova said she was cooperating with the ITF and did not yet know the extent of the sanctions she would face.

What is meldonium?

It is meant for angina patients but athletes like it because it helps their endurance and ability to recover from big efforts.
It is on the banned list now because Wada started seeing it in lots of samples and found it does have performance-enhancing properties.
It was on Wada's 'watchlist' for over a year and added to the banned list on 1 January.
Made in Latvia, it is widely available - without prescription and at low cost - in many east European countries, but it is not licensed in most western countries, including the United States

 Maria Sgarapova loses her Nike Endorsement and Tag Heuer Contract

The five-times Grand Slam champion dropped the bombshell at a press conference at a Los Angeles hotel on Monday March 07,2016, confessing she had been found to have taken Mildronate – or Meldonium – which was prohibited from January 1 this year. 

Just hours later, the 28-year-old lost her most lucrative deal - an eight-year contract extended in 2010 for a reported $70million with sportswear brand Nike, where she has her own clothing line.

Swiss watch brand TAG Heuer followed suit, saying that its contract with Sharapova had expired at the end of 2015 and it has pulled out of negotiations on a new agreement.

Another one of her major partners, Porsche, said that while they are 'certainly not dumping' Sharapova, they are currently 'not pursuing any further activities' with her.