Former world No.1 Maria Sharapova has posted on her social media account for the first time since announcing her failed drugs test.
On Monday the Russian admitted that she tested positive for meldonium, a substance that was added to the list of banned substances on January 1st 2016. Since the announcement the 28-year-old has come under heavy criticism and has lost deals with major sponsors. In a Facebook post Sharapova thanked her fans for sending her messages and praised them for their support.
I woke up yesterday morning with an inbox, in full capacity of love and compassion. The first email I immediately…
Posted by Maria Sharapova on Wednesday, March 9, 2016
Today it was reported by The Times newspaper that Sharapova was warned five times that Meldonium will be banned during 2015. Meanwhile, the former head of the World Anti-Doping Agency, Dick Pound, has blasted Sharapova and her negligence over the substance.
“Anytime there is a change to the list, notice is given on 30 September prior to the change,” he said.
“You have October, November, December to get off what you are doing.
“All the tennis players were given notification of it and she has a medical team somewhere. That is reckless beyond description.”
There has also been a heavy focus on the substance that caused Sharapova’s failed test. A study published in the Journal Of British Medicine, found that almost 500 athletes tested positive for meldonium during the 2015 European Games. None of those athletes failed a drug test as the substance wasn’t outlawed until this year.
Facing the prospect of a ban, Sharapova’s lawyer, John Haggerty, told the New York Time that she took the substance along with a variety of other medicines to treat her health conditions.
“I think there’s a misunderstanding that Maria took mildronate [the name by which Sharapova knew meldonium] and only mildronate, and that was to address all of her medical conditions,” Haggerty said.
“She took mildronate and a number of other medicines.”
Haggerty later added that Sharapova didn’t take the drug every day and it was more occasional use. He said that the Russian took it 4-6 weeks, two to three times a year for the past ten years.
Sharapova currently resides in the USA and the drug is currently not licensed in the country. There is yet to be any explanation as to how she managed to take it in America.
The five-time Grand Slam champion will be suspended from competition on March 12th as she awaits the outcome of her case.
