Tennis star and five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova has been suspended two years by the International Tennis Federation on Wednesday following a positive test for meldonium, a drug that helps boost blood flow.
Sharapova, who tested positive for the drug prior to the Australian Open, said she has been taking the drug since 2006, but it didn't become an issue until it was added to the banned substance list this year.
The World Anti-Doping Agency sent an email in December that displayed changes to tennis’ program for 2016, and though Sharapova confirmed the email provided a list of banned substances, she admitted that she didn't look at it.
The ITF was seeking to suspend Sharapova for four years, but deemed her use was unintentional, which cut the suspension to two years.
Sharapova said in a statement that she will appeal the suspension:
"Today, with their decision of a two-year suspension, the ITF tribunal unanimously concluded that what I did was not intentional. The tribunal found that I did not seek treatment from my doctor for the purpose of obtaining a performance enhancing substance. The ITF spent tremendous amount of time and resources trying to prove I intentionally violated the anti-doping rules and the tribunal concluded I did not. You need to know that the ITF asked the tribunal to suspend me for four years -- the required suspension for an intentional violation -- and the tribunal rejected the ITF's position.
"I cannot accept an unfairly harsh two-year suspension. The tribunal, whose members were selected by the ITF, agreed that I did not do anything intentionally wrong, yet they seek to keep me from playing tennis for two years."
The Women's Tennis Association also released a statement on the issue:
"It is important at all times for players to be aware of the rules and to follow them. In this case, Maria has taken responsibility for her mistake from the outset. The WTA supports the process that the ITF and Maria have followed."
According to the rules, Sharapova will have to be suspended for at least one year since she admitted to using the drug after it was added to the banned list.
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