So As Nearly All Russian Sportsmen And Women, Maria Sharapova Failed Drugs Test At Australian Open!

Am not surprised by this development, because it has been the order of the day for Russian sportsmen and women. There is even a claim that it happens with the approval of the Russian government.

Former world number one Maria Sharapova, 28, revealed yesterday March 7th that she failed a drugs test at the Australian Open. The five-time Grand Slam champion tested positive for meldonium, a substance she says she has been taking since 2006 for health issues.

"I did fail the test and take full responsibility for it. For the past 10 years I have been given a medicine called mildronate by my family doctor and a few days ago after I received a letter from the ITF [International Tennis Federation] I found out it also has another name of meldonium, which I did not know.

"It is very important for you to understand that for 10 years this medicine was not on Wada's banned list and I had been legally taking that medicine for the past 10 years. But on 1 January the rules had changed and meldonium became a prohibited substance, which I had not known. I received an email on 22 December from Wada about the changes happening to the banned list and you can see prohibited items - and I didn't click on that link."

"I made a huge mistake. I have let my fans down, and let the sport down that I have been playing since the age of four that I love so deeply. "I know that with this I face consequences and I don't want to end my career this way. I really hope to be given another chance to play this game."

"I know many of you thought that I would be retiring today but if I was ever going to announce my retirement it would not be in a downtown Los Angeles hotel with this fairly ugly carpet," she said. The Russian beauty was charged on March 2nd. She is officially suspended pending further action

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