Maria Sharapova Is Suspended From Tennis for Two Years

[iandhr]

Source: NY TIMES

Maria Sharapova was suspended for two years by the International Tennis Federation on Wednesday for testing positive for a banned substance.

Sharapova, 29, announced in March that she tested positive for meldonium on Jan. 26 at the Australian Open and began serving a provisional suspension. Meldonium, a heart medication that is said to improve blood flow and allow athletes to recover faster, was added to the World Anti-Doping Agency’s prohibited list in January after the agency monitored its use for a year.

Sharapova, a five-time Grand Slam champion whose ranking has dropped to 26th because of injuries and the suspension, is the highest profile tennis player to have a positive doping test. For the past 11 years, she was the world’s highest paid female athlete, according to Forbes. (Serena Williams surpassed Sharapova on this year’s list, which was released Monday.)

Sharapova said that she received email notification in December about changes to the banned list for 2016 but that she did not read it. She said she had been taking meldonium, also known as Mildronate, since 2006 to manage a variety of health problems.


Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/09/sports/tennis/maria-sharapova-doping-suspension.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0

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And what I love is that Serena can still kick her ass.

[ancianita]

1. On appeal.

[NWCorona]

2. Maria, please forever remove the Williams sisters from your mouth.

Karma is nothing to play with.

[underpants]

3. Russian huh? Doping? Shocked.

The Int. Olympic Committee is deciding soon if the Russian teams will be allowed in Rio.

Tennis also is still dealing with the match rigging scandal. Russian oligarch connected of course.

[bigwillq]

4. She should serve the two years.

I hope the suspension is not overturned.