MARIA SHARAPOVA VIDEO TENNIS FULL
MARIA SHARAPOVA VIDEO TENNIS SERIES

The punishment for a positive test can be up to a four-year ban, though is seems unlikely that Sharapova would get anywhere near four years for a first violation. He did not say what that level was or reveal the name of her doctor. Sharapova’s lawyer, John Haggerty, told reporters that, while athletes use meldonium for performance-enhancing purposes, it is at higher levels than Sharapova was taking. She then looked down and added “with this ugly carpet”. She acknowledged that belief at her press conference before saying in a sombre tone that she would not retire in a downtown Los Angeles hotel. The press release called it a “major announcement” and, given that she has played in only three tournaments in eight months, many thought she was ending her career at the age of 28. When Sharapova’s publicist first announced Monday’s press conference on Sunday afternoon, speculation turned to the player’s possible retirement. Where players like her fellow Russian Anna Kournikova seemed more interested in being celebrities than tennis players, Sharapova has played with an intense dedication, which has added to her popularity with fans and advertisers. She has long been praised for not letting the attention she receives for her model-like looks distract from her game. She has won each grand slam tournament once and has also won the French Open a second time, in 2014. She is also one of the hardest hitters on the tour and is one of the three best women’s players when healthy. Her 6ft 2in frame allows her to have one of the most powerful serves in the game. A few days ago she announced she would miss the BNP Paribas tournament at Indian Wells in California because of a forearm injury.īut even with her injuries Sharapova has been a huge force in women’s tennis. In recent years she has battled forearm pain and leg ailments.

MARIA SHARAPOVA VIDEO TENNIS SERIES

Her meteoric rise as a teenage sensation was slowed immediately after she reached the world No1 ranking in 2006 with what became a long series of shoulder issues. Sharapova has struggled with injuries through most of her career. Maria Sharapova tests positive for meldonium … but what is it? Guardian A few months into that study Wada said meldonium was being moved to 2016’s banned list. Last year Wada announced that it was carefully studying the drug, allowing athletes to take it with the warning that it could soon be banned. It has become popular with athletes who use the oxygen-enhancers to improve endurance, especially when working out. Meldonium was developed years ago in Latvia to treat patients with heart conditions brought on by a lack of oxygen in their blood. By revealing the test results herself she is attempting to take control of the story, hoping that by being up front people will believe she is being honest and really was taking mildronate for health purposes.

The implication that Sharapova has been cheating can be a devastating blow to those deals. But few athletes are like Sharapova who has made herself into the highest-paid female in sport, earning more than $20m annually, through a series of high-end endorsement deals. Most sports stars try to hide positive tests for performance-enhancing drugs, hoping news will not break until a suspension is revealed. Sharapova’s announcement is almost unprecedented for a top athlete. However, Shamil Tarpishchev, president of the Russian Tennis Federation, told the Russian news agency TASS he expected Sharapova to be available for this summer’s Rio Olympics after describing the positive test as “nonsense”. “We are saddened and surprised by the news about Maria Sharapova,” a Nike statement read. One of Sharapova’s biggest sponsors, Nike, announced it had suspended its relationship with her while the investigation continues. The ITF said Sharapova, who now faces a ban from the sport, had been informed of the positive test on 2 March and she will be provisionally suspended from 12 March.

MARIA SHARAPOVA VIDEO TENNIS FULL

I failed the test and I take full responsibility for it. But on 1 January the rules had changed and meldonium became a prohibited substance which I had not known. It is very important for you to understand that for 10 years this medicine was not on Wada’s banned list and I had legally been taking the medicine for the past 10 years. Sharapova added: “For the past 10 years I have been given a medicine called mildronate by my family doctor and a few days ago after I received the ITF letter I found out that it also has another name of meldonium which I did not know. But the substance was added to the banned list in January of this year because Wada said there was “evidence of its use by athletes with the intention of enhancing performance”. Sharapova claimed she was prescribed meldonium by her doctor in 2006 to deal with health issues such as an irregular heartbeat and a history of diabetes in her family.

Maria sharapova video tennis