Maria Sharapova Announces Positive Drug Test for Meldonium

By
at Internationaled.org

Published: March 7, 2016

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Tennis star Maria Sharapova insists she is "determined to play tennis again" following March 7's announcement that she failed a drug test.

The five-time major winner recently revealed to gathered media she tested positive for meldonium, per WTA Insider. According to tennis journalist Chris Goldsmith, the drug was banned effective Jan. 1, 2016.

Sharapova told reporters she took "full responsibility for it," per Charlie Kaye of CBS News, and she explained the circumstances behind the positive test, relayed by the BBC (via Laura Wagner of NPR):

I had been taking this medicine for the past 10 years, but on Jan. 1 this became a prohibited substance which I did not know. ... I received an email on Dec. 22, 2015 from WADA [World Anti-Doping Agency] about the changes happening to the banned list and you can see prohibited items, and I didn't click on that link.

Sharapova has received messages of "support and loyalty" from her fanbase, whom she thanked on Facebook: "I wanted to let you know that your wonderful words put a smile on my face. I'd like to play again and hope to have the chance to do so. Your messages give me great encouragement."



On Friday, she posted another message on Facebook:



However, the star faces questions over her alleged ignorance of the rule change. The Latvian company that manufactures the drug said the "normal course of treatment for the drug is four to six weeks—not the 10 years that [Sharapova] says she used the substance," according to the Associated Press (h/t ESPN.com).

According to Ben Rumsby and Simon Briggs of the Telegraph, Sharapova was "warned at least five times" between Dec. 3 and Dec. 29 that the drug was being added to the list of prohibited substances.

Per Rumsby and Briggs, Dick Pound, WADA's founding president, said: "All the ­tennis players were given notificat...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Tennis

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