Tennis star Maria Sharapova announced she has tested positive for a recently banned drug (meldonium)

[Sylvia]

She just announced this today at a press conference (includes video): http://espn.go.com/tennis/story/_/i...a-announces-flunked-drug-test-australian-open

Sharapova said she was taking the drug meldonium for 10 years to address a number of health issues. She said that she had been getting the flu every couple of months, had irregular EKGs and had evidence of diabetes, which runs in her family. She said that on Jan. 1, rules changed to make the drug illegal, but she was not aware.

This is the same drug that Ekaterina Bobrova admitted to taking. Bizarre timing that the news broke on the same day!

http://sputniknews.com/russia/20160307/1035926997/maria-sharapova-announcement.html

"Throughout my long career I have been very open and honest about many things," Sharapova said. "I take great responsibility and professionalism in my job every single day, I made a huge mistake. I made a huge mistake, I let my fans down, I let the sport down that I've been playing since the age 4."

ETA: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/tenni...a-sharapova-major-announcement-192521679.html

Sharapova received a letter from the International Tennis Federation several days ago informing her that she had failed the test for Meldonium, a substance that had been legal until Jan. 1 of this year. Sharapova did not indicate what the penalties would be or how long she might be away from the game of tennis.

She had begun taking Meldonium in 2006 to aid in a variety of health problems. However, the drug was added to a banned list starting at the beginning of 2016. Sharapova conceded that she did not look at the list of newly banned substances for 2016 from the World Anti-Doping Agency, and thus indicated that she failed the drug test because of ignorance.

"I don't want to end my career this way," Sharapova said. "I really hope I will be given another chance to play this game."

Meldonium aids in athletes' endurance and rehabilitation. Doctors prescribe it to treat ischemia, a lack of blood flow, but it can give athletes an increased ability for exercise. It had been on WADA's watch list in 2015, and was formally banned at the beginning of this year after WADA indicated there was “evidence of its use by athletes with the intention of enhancing performance." On Dec. 22, 2015, WADA sent out an email indicating what drugs would be banned starting in 2016; Sharapova conceded that she received but did not read that email.

 

[Daena]

I just can't imagine how Maria's team could overlook this? I mean, there are like tons of advisors around her.

 

[Sylvia]

https://twitter.com/christophclarey/status/706945172001710080

John Haggerty, Sharapova's lawyer, tells #NYT Sharapova will be provisionally suspended on March 12 & will not ask for B sample to be tested

ETA - live updates here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/te.../Maria-Sharapova-fails-a-drugs-test-live.html
Excerpts:

Meldonium is used to treat chest pain and heart attacks among other conditions, but some researchers have linked it to increased athletic performance and endurance.

It is not approved in the United States but is available in Russia, Latvia and other countries in that region. Over the past month, Russian cyclist Eduard Vorganov, Russian figure skater Ekaterina Bobrova and Ethiopia-born athletes Endeshaw Negesse and Abeba Aregawi have all tested positive for meldonium.

Sharapova ... was immediately asked by one journalist whether the doctor who prescribed her the drug should be held responsible for her failed test.

"I have to take full responsibility for it," she replied. "It's very important to have a great team around you ... but at the end of day, everything you do is about you."

Tennis Anti-Doping Programme statement regarding Maria Sharapova: http://www.itftennis.com/news/22582...z.99http://www.itftennis.com/news/225826.aspx

Following the statement made by Maria Sharapova in a press conference today, the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme (TADP) can confirm the following:

- On 26 January 2016, Ms Sharapova provided an anti-doping sample to the TADP in association with her participation in the 2016 Australian Open.

- That sample was analysed by a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) accredited laboratory, which returned a positive for meldonium, which is a prohibited substance under the WADA Code and, therefore also the TADP.

- In accordance with Article 8.1.1 of the TADP, Ms Sharapova was charged on 2 March with an Anti-Doping Rule Violation.

- Ms Sharapova has accepted the finding of meldonium in her sample collected on 26 January.

- As meldonium is a non-specified substance under the WADA (and, therefore, TADP) list of Prohibited Substances and Prohibited Methods, Ms Sharapova will be provisionally suspended with effect from 12 March, pending determination of the case.

https://twitter.com/oliverbrown_tel/status/706948965275533312

Sharapova faces four-year ban if she is found to have taken meldonium intentionally to enhance performance. Two years if unintentional.

 

[topaz]

I was going to post this but you beat me to it. I think the ban may be reduced if she fights it. I applaud Maria's' courage and Maria has always been 100% professional.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/07/tennis/maria-sharapova-tennis-injuries/index.html

 

[Loves_Shizuka]

I don't think the ban will be two years, let alone four.

Speculation on tennis sites is that it'll be 3-6 months.

I think she handled herself very well today.


Thanks for thread and the links @Sylvia and @topaz

 

[Loves_Shizuka]

I was going to post this but you beat me to it. I think the ban may be reduced if she fights it. I applaud Maria's' courage and Maria has always been 100% professional.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/07/tennis/maria-sharapova-tennis-injuries/index.html

Looks like twelve months...

https://twitter.com/eNCA/status/706950327388528640/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc^tfw

I don't think she'll fight that.

 

[topaz]

Wow.

 

[Sylvia]

Looks like twelve months...

I don't think this tweet is correct (no source link was provided).

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/tennis/2016/03/07/maria-sharapova-failed-drug-test/81446346/

After the press conference, her attorney, John Haggerty, said "a positive drug test could result in a ban of up to four years" from the International Tennis Federation. But he added that "mitigating circumstances can lead to the elimination of a ban altogether. ... We're still determining what we are going to request of them. I've asked them to have a cooperative process."

 

[Loves_Shizuka]

https://swimswam.com/blood-flow-drug-meldonium-added-to-wadas-banned-substances-list/

This article has probably already been linked, but...

"WADA began monitoring Meldonium in 2015, adding the drug to its “Monitoring Program” to determine how widespread its use was within sport and what effects it could have on athletic performance.


The Guardian reports that Meldonium was added to the banned list due to “evidence of its use by athletes with the intention of enhancing performance.

RUSADA, Russia’s anti-doping agency, sent out a memo reminding athletes, coaching and support personnel that the substance had been banned."



So in theory, athletes should have known about it since at least October? As someone else said, things don't just get banned overnight.

 

[Coco]

So this drug is appropriate for those symptoms? Flu every few months, irregular EKGs and symptoms of diabetes?

 

[Sylvia]

...
RUSADA, Russia’s anti-doping agency, sent out a memo reminding athletes, coaching and support personnel that the substance had been banned."

So in theory, athletes should have known about it since at least October? As someone else said, things don't just get banned overnight.

This is what I posted in the Bobrova thread in GSD...

The 2016 Prohibited List was published by WADA on September 29, 2015 and went into effect on 1 January 2016: https://www.wada-ama.org/en/resources/science-medicine/prohibited-list

From the "Summary of Modifications - 2016 Prohibited List" document dated 16 September 2015: https://wada-main-prod.s3.amazonaws...ohibited-list-summary-of-modifications-en.pdf
"Meldonium was removed from the Monitoring Program and added to the Prohibited List."

As quoted in post #1 above:

On Dec. 22, 2015, WADA sent out an email indicating what drugs would be banned starting in 2016; Sharapova conceded that she received but did not read that email.

Was Sharapova individually notified before Dec. 22?

Published on the RUSADA website one day after WADA's 2016 Prohibited List was published (English version): http://www.rusada.ru/en/press/day_n...-class-s4-hormone-and-metabolic-modulators-of
Meldonium (Mildronat) will be added to the Class S4 (HORMONE AND METABOLIC MODULATORS) of the WADA Prohibited List 2016
September 30, 2015
Dear colleagues! Please take a note that from the 1st of January 2016 Meldonium (Mildronat) will be prohibited both in in-completion and in out-of-competition period. Meldonium is added to the Class S4 (HORMONE AND METABOLIC MODULATORS) of the WADA Prohibited List 2016. Athletes must stop taking this substance in advance, as of the 1st of January 2016 the detection of this substance in the Athlete's sample would be considered as an anti-doping rules violation.

ETA Sharapova's quote from: http://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/35750285

"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."

 

[Xela M]

The question is will she miss the Olympics?

I cannot understand how this happened, but Maria showed a lot of class today

 

[Sylvia]

http://www.wsj.com/articles/maria-sharapova-failed-drug-test-at-australian-open-1457383855
Excerpts:

The tennis anti-doping program is a joint program among the sport’s chief governing bodies. It calls for a four-year suspension for a positive test, but that ban can be reduced for various circumstances, like first-time offenses and if the athlete shows “no significant fault or negligence.” If a player shows “no fault or negligence,” there is no suspension.

Sharapova, a five-time Grand Slam singles champion, said she began taking the drug in 2006 because she was getting sick often and had low magnesium and irregular electrocardiogram results. She was also concerned about a family history of diabetes, she said. She said her family doctor prescribed the drug and that it helped her.

It is being reported that "Meldonium is also used to treat diabetes and low magnesium."

 

[oleada]

I wish I could find where, but I read the ban was for 12 months?
I would fully expect Maria will miss the Olympics this summer.

 

[Xela M]

I'm following Kafelnikov on twitter and he seems extremely sceptical over Maria's "illness"

 

[Xela M]

I wish I could find where, but I read the ban was for 12 months?
I would fully expect Maria will miss the Olympics this summer.

It was a tweet, but I think it's wrong. She's provisionally banned pending appeals. The final ban will be decided at a hearing

 

[tamuno]

Yes what illness did she have that she took the drug for 10yrs?

 

[BigB08822]

Yes what illness did she have that she took the drug for 10yrs?

She clearly states: irregular EKGs, possible diabetes (maybe she means pre-diabetes) and having the flu constantly.

Whether you believe it or not is another story but she answered why she had been taking it for so long.

 

[Sylvia]

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/08/sports/tennis/maria-sharapova-failed-drug-test.html
Excerpts:

The commercial fallout was swift. Nike, one of Sharapova’s longtime sponsors, announced in a statement that it was suspending its relationship with her “while the investigation continues.” Sharapova has her own clothing line with Nike, with whom she signed an eight-year extension in 2010 that could reportedly be worth up to $70 million.

Under the rules of tennis’s antidoping program, Sharapova’s positive test would not normally have been announced by the I.T.F. until the adjudication process had been completed. But she decided to make her case public and Haggerty said she did not intend to request that her B sample be tested.
...
In higher doses, Haggerty said, meldonium can serve as a performance-enhancer. Because Sharapova was taking a prescribed dose for health purposes, he said he would probably request a minimal penalty from the I.T.F.

 

[Loves_Shizuka]

Tennis bans end not to be too long or harsh, but this might be seen as a special case.

Other doping cases in tennis:

Cilic (nikethamide) - banned for six months initially, down to four after appeal.

Gasquet (cocaine ) - three months

Strycova (sibutramine ) - six months

Karatancheva (nandrolone) - two years

The question is will she miss the Olympics?
I cannot understand how this happened, but Maria showed a lot of class today

I think it's unlikely she'll be in RIo.

And yes, she did.

 

[tamuno]

Another report says the company who made the drug says treatment with it lasts 4-6 weeks not 10yrs. Sorry I can't provide links. Let me try.

Pre-diabetes?? what does that mean?? sorry. She has a sugar sweets company.

 

[tamuno]

http://espn.go.com/tennis/story/_/i...ks-normal-treatment-drug-maria-sharapova-case

 

[Rafter]

I don't get why Nike would drop Sharapova but keep Justin Gatlin on their payroll.

 

[Meoima]

I have never been a fan of tennis, but I admire her for admitting that before the world. It's not easy at all and it harms her career but she's so brave.

 

[barbk]

Yes, very smart of her to be direct.

 

[Seerek]

Tennis bans end not to be too long or harsh, but this might be seen as a special case.

Other doping cases in tennis:

Cilic (nikethamide) - banned for six months initially, down to four after appeal.

Gasquet (cocaine ) - three months

Strycova (sibutramine ) - six months

Karatancheva (nandrolone) - two years

There was also the 12 month ban for Viktor Troicki, who failed to supply a blood test in 2013.

 

[Lacey]

So this drug is appropriate for those symptoms? Flu every few months, irregular EKGs and symptoms of diabetes?

AFAIK, (and upfront I am not a doctor), there is no preventative drug for Diabetes.

And I am insulted that she said that it was.

 

[Sylvia]

Maria Sharapova's failed drugs test was "reckless beyond description", according to former World Anti-Doping Agency president Dick Pound.
http://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/35757814

 

[Lacey]

Yes, very smart of her to be direct.

Sorry, I think she was direct but yet devious.

 

[caseyedwards]

Its just silly a list of drugs wouldn't be forwarded to her team which includes medical specialists. Maybe she doesn't read the lists but why would she not share it? She certainly wouldn't doping to win to make money. She made money when she didnt win. Her and her team would also have to know if caught its all over for all of them!