French Open Fears Hypocrisy Over Potential Sharapova Wild Card - UBITENNIS

French Open Fears Hypocrisy Over Potential Sharapova Wild Card

By Adam Addicott
3 Min Read
Maria Sharapova pictured at the 2014 French Open (zimbio.com)

Maria Sharapova’s return to the tour next month is causing apprehension for officials at the French Open as they ponder whether to award the Russian a wild card.

The former world No.1 will return to the tour at the Stuttgart Open in April after serving a 15-month doping suspension. Sharapova tested positive for the banned substance Meldonium and was originally slammed with a two-year ban until she successfully appealed for a reduction. Throughout the controversy the Russian has insisted that she was unaware the drug has been banned (which it has been since January 1st, 2016) and she never took it to enhance her performance.

Despite successfully having her ban reduced, the Court of Arbitration for Sport concluded that Sharapova was guilty of failing to ‘meet the anti-doping obligations imposed on an athlete’ over the management of the substances she was consuming.

Sharapova’s return to the tour has been aided by a trio of wild cards being given to her by tournaments in Stuttgart, Madrid and Rome. Despite the warm welcome of those tournaments, officials in charge of the next grand slam of the year are more cautious about the implications of their decision.

The newly-elected head of French Tennis, Bernard Giudicelli, has told the AFP that the French Open fears sending out the wrong message if they hand out a wild card to a player who has just ended their doping suspension.

“It’s complicated. We prefer that she returns completely rehabilitated,” Giudicelli said about Sharapova.
“Integrity is one of our strong points. We cannot decide, on the one hand, to increase the amount of funds we dedicate to the anti-doping battle and, on the other, invite her.”

Guidicelli has insisted that no decision has been made about Sharapova, who won the tournament in 2012 and 2014. If she is not awarded a pass, the Russian faces a tough task of generating enough points in time to even enter the qualifying draw (unless she wins Stuttgart).

The comments come shortly after world No.1 Andy Murray spoke out against handing players wild cards into tournaments if they have violated doping rules. During an interview with The Times, the Wimbledon champion said that those found guilty of doping must be made to ‘work their way back’ into the tour.

The 116th French Open will start on May 28th with Novak Djokovic and Garbine Mugurza being the defending champions.

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