Maria Sharapova, former world No. 1 and five-time grand slam champion, announced that she was using a drug banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency and failed a recent drug test during the Australian Open in January, VOX informs.
Maria Sharapova, former world No. 1 and five-time grand slam champion, announced that she was using a drug banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency and failed a recent drug test during the Australian Open in January, VOX informs.
"I did fail the test and take full responsibility for it," said Sharapova. "A few days ago, after I received a letter from the ITF, I found out it also has another name of meldonium, which I did not know," she added.
The International Tennis Federation (ITF) said the five-time Grand Slam champion would be provisionally suspended from 12 March.
Moreover, sportswear company Nike announced it was halting its relationship with Sharapova until the investigation was complete.
According to BBC, Serena Williams said Maria Sharapova showed "a lot of courage" for accepting responsibility for her failed drugs test.
Meldonium, which Sharapova said she has taken since 2006 for health reasons, became a banned substance on 1 January 2016.
