Tennis star and five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova announced that she failed a drug test prior to the Austrailian Open, testing positive for the medication Meldonium, which is a banned substance by the International Tennis Federation.
The drug is used in Latvia and Russia, but is not FDA approved for consumption in the United States.
Meldonium is a used to help blood flow, and has been clinically tested to treat chronic heart failure (you can learn more about it here). So, why is it banned? The increased blood flow could allow for a player to get a competitive advantage on the court, giving them more endurance.
Sharapova 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.
Sharapova has dealt with various shoulder injuries since 2008, and her last competitive match came in January's Australian Open, when she lost to Serena Williams in the quarterfinals.
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