Maria Sharapova is not retiring. But she may be away from tennis for a while–and not just because of her recent injury problems.
At her highly-anticipated press conference on Monday, Sharapova announced that she failed a drug test at the Australian Open. The 28-year-old Russian received a letter from the ITF last week saying she had tested positive tested positive for meldonium.
“I did fail the test and I take full responsibility for that,” Sharapova said. “For the past 10 years I have been given a medicine by my family doctor. For the past 10 years this medicine was not on the banned list and I had been legally taking the medicine, but on January 1 the rules changed and [it] became a prohibited substance, which I did not know.”
Sharapova did not indicate if she has been notified of any possible suspension.
Announcement and press conference:
For the ITF allegations are Bachelot on Nadal ‘amazing’ and ‘incorrect’
The International Tennis Federation has issued an official statement in which it rules on the charges of the French former Minister Roselyne Bachelot.
[IMG]
The International Tennis Federation sent an official statement to AS on the situation of Rafa Nadal in which are described as “surprising and incorrect” allegations of Roselyne Bachelot , a former minister of Health and French Sports in the Government of Nicolas Sarkozy, against Spanish tennis player.
The statement reads verbatim as follows:
“The accusations of Roselyne Bachelot against Rafael Nadal are not only surprising but also incorrect. All convicts players a violation of the Anti-Doping Tennis Program are publicly announced as required under the rules of the Programme and the World Anti-Doping Code” .
“In addition, WADA (the World Anti-Doping Agency) maintains its own independent monitoring of the results of the samples collected players, so that would not only be aware of any attempt to camouflage ( ‘cover up’) or failed deliberate in acting on any positive control, but would also have the right to appeal against any decision, so as to pursue any apparent breach that had occurred in the program “.
http://tenis.as.com/tenis/2016/03/11/mas_tenis/1457702281_619104.html
Q.E.D
As a certain male tennis player would say: STFU Mme Bachelot
If I’m being moderated, could you let me know? Maybe it’s my server, not tenngrand. Was simply trying to post this very good German made documentary with is relevant to the Sharapova debate on whether or not Meldonium is a PED.
What is this Error establishing a database connection?
I can’t post the documentary?
It’s not you ratty.
Samies for me.
Intermittent success. Must be a site problem.
If that video is from a few years ago I think I saw it.
Glad it’s not just me! Was getting paranoid. Talking doping is a no no in tennis. Not used to it without being moderated or banninized.
The documentary — it’s from last weekend 3/6/2016. Relevant. Makes me wonder…
I tried like 10 times or something
What’s the name of it?
Genie B. wins 75 75
Hajo Seppelt @hajoseppelt Mar 8
English version of @WDR @ARD_Presse @sportschau 3rd ****** documentary “RUSSIA’S RED HERRINGS” also on YouTube: http://youtu.be/2XGVKE3yrXs
redacted a word – trying this again…
All the posts disappeared ?
“Error message”
Packed house for Rafa’s doubles match…
Yep, Rafa and Verdasco on TC.
Also showing bits of Big Fo (Francis Tiafoe) serving for the 1st set v David Goffin. Crowd is loving it.
Rafa played great and just when they came back chasing 8:3 lead of Bryans brothers in the third, Rafa double faults when serving to level at 8:7…Bryans win 10:7 in the third…heartbreaking to see Rafa sucumb to his nerves even in the doubles match…?
Rafa played some amazing tennis though…
Sorry guys, it was 8:8 when Rafa doublefaulted giftting brothers the lead…I was so upset that I got the score wrong… ?
Rafa played so well! Yes, that double fault at 8-8 was terrible. It was again of the same nature .He tried to be a little aggressive but the serve did not have much action on it! I wonder whether this has only to do with nerves because I saw him hit some doubles faults in practice sets too. May be he is trying to be little more aggressive with is second serve but he is not getting the desired racket acceleration. They should at least get some help on serve, that is something I am certain of.
Nobody seems to be mentioning the terrible forehand misses verdasco had earlier on in the the tie break. He missed two mid-court forehands that were there to be punished.
The atmosphere was so great though!
Posting this here because there is an error message on the IW thread.
There is a full match replay if Rafa’s doubles match on TennisTV. Com
Relieved to read it appears there is a site problem and not my wifi (which is a problem at weekends) nor a problem with my computer.
http://en.as.com/en/2016/03/18/other_sports/1458329815_251704.html
Meldonium sales way up since March 7, 2016.
Huge fail that the length of her suspension has still not been announced.
No excuse for taking so long.
You might even say ‘every cloud has a silver lining’ lol.
Her lawyers presumably are still trying to hammer out a plea bargain.