Post by Corey on Jun 9, 2016 0:35:18 GMT
Maria Sharapova banned for two years for failed doping test during Australian Open
Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova has been banned for two years after failing a drug test, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) has announced.
Sharapova tested positive for the controversial banned medication meldonium during January's Australian Open.
"An independent tribunal appointed under Article 8.1 of the 2016 Tennis Anti-Doping Programme has found that Maria Sharapova committed an anti-doping rule violation under Article 2.1 of the programme, and as a consequence has disqualified the affected results and imposed a period of ineligibility of two years, commencing on 26 January 2016," a statement on the ITF website said.
A 33-page report of tribunal's findings said "the ITF accepts that the player did not engage in conduct that she knew constituted an anti-doping rule violation", but it rejected her assertion that there was no "significant" fault on her part.
"She was the sole author of her own misfortune," it said.
The Russian announced immediately on her Facebook page that she would appeal the ban at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
"While the tribunal concluded correctly that I did not intentionally violate the anti-doping rules, I cannot accept an unfairly harsh two-year suspension," Sharapova wrote.
"The tribunal, whose members were selected by the ITF, agreed that I did not do anything intentionally wrong, yet they seek to keep me from playing tennis for two years." Women's Tennis Association (WTA) chief executive Steve Simon said the organisation hoped the controversy would be quickly resolved.
"It is important at all times for players to be aware of the rules and to follow them," Mr Simon in a statement.
"In this case, Maria has taken responsibility for her mistake from the outset.
"The WTA supports the process that the ITF and Maria have followed."
Sharapova vows to get back on court
Despite the two-year suspension, Sharapova vowed to keep fighting.
"I have missed playing tennis and I have missed my amazing fans, who are the best and most loyal fans in the world," she wrote on her Facebook page.
"I have read your letters. I have read your social media posts and your love and support has gotten me through these tough days.
"I intend to stand for what I believe is right and that's why I will fight to be back on the tennis court as soon as possible."
Sharapova, the world's highest-paid female athlete, stunned the sporting world in March when she announced that she had tested positive for meldonium, a drug she said she had been taking for a decade to treat diabetes and low magnesium.
Meldonium was added to the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) list of banned substances at the start of the year after evidence that it boosted blood flow and enhanced athletic performance.
Sharapova insisted she had made "a huge mistake," blaming her failure to read an email sent by the ITF on the drug.
After her admission, Swiss watchmaker TAG Heuer cut its ties with Sharapova while other brands such as Nike and Porsche distanced themselves from her.
The ban means she will miss this year's Wimbledon championships, the title she won as a teenager to launch her career into orbit in 2004, and the Rio Olympics.
Sharapova has won 35 WTA singles titles and has won all four of the sport's grand slam titles.
Her career earnings amount to $US36 million ($48 million) while her off-court earnings, according to Forbes, are around $US200 million ($268 million).
At least that's one less grunter now.
