MARIA SHARAPOVA FAILS DRUG TEST, FACES BAN



These are not the best of times for former World No.1 Tennis Star, Maria Sharapover who has admitted to failing a drug test at the Australian open.   

Sharapova, who lit up women's tennis when she won Wimbledon in 2004 as a 17-year-old and is still ranked among the top players, announced on Monday she had tested positive for meldonium, which she said she was taking for diabetes and low magnesium.

The drug is also used to treat chest pain and heart problems as it boosts blood flow. Some researchers have linked it to increased athletic performance, longer endurance and speedier recovery. It was recently listed by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) among its prohibited metabolic modulators, which include insulin.
Sharapova said she had been taking the substance for a decade for health reasons and had not read an email informing her that a ban on its use in sport, imposed by WADA, had come into force on Jan. 1, 2016.
Swiss watchmaker TAG Heuer said on Tuesday it was severing ties with Maria Sharapova as the world's highest-paid female athlete.
Sports firm Nike and German luxury car maker Porsche also said they were suspending their relationship with the five-time Grand Slam champion as the 28-year-old Russian awaits a decision on whether she will be banned.

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