Maria Sharapova Banned from Tennis for Two Years
Daniel Munoz / Reuters
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The International Tennis Federation has banned five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova for two years for doping violations.
Sharapova failed a drug test in March for the 2016 Australian Open. At the time, she admitted to testing positive for meldonium, a banned performance-enhancing substance. In its decision, the ITF said:
The Independent Tribunal determined that (1) Ms. Sharapova should serve a period of ineligibility of two years; (2) due to her prompt admission of her violation, that period of ineligibility should be back-dated under Article 10.10.3(b) of the Programme to commence from 26 January 2016 (the date of sample collection) and so should end at midnight on 25 January 2018; and (3) her results at the 2016 Australian Open should be disqualified, with resulting forfeiture of the ranking points and prize money that she won at that event.
In a statement on Wednesday, Sharapova said she would appeal the suspension to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, arguing she did not purposely seek a performance-enhancing substance from her doctor. She continues:
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