Maria Sharapova failed drugs test, Gets positive Meldonium test !!

The drug Sharapova was using was placed on the banned list by the World Anti-Doping Agency from 1 January because of “evidence of its use by athletes with the intention of enhancing performance”. Sharapova claimed she had taken meldonium legally for years for health reasons.

Sharapova has also said she hopes she can eventually return to the sport, despite being plagued by injuries. “I let my fans down, I let the sport down that I have been playing since the age of four and I love so deeply,” she said at a press conference in Los Angeles on Monday. “I know with this I face consequences. I don’t want to end my career this way and I really hope I will be given another chance to play this game.”

What is Meldonium?

Meldonium is manufactured in Latvia and used medically to treat heart problems like angina and myocardial infarction. It is also an effective treatment for ischemia or lack of blood flow. It is most commonly used in Russia and it is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in the US.

I will hold a press conference today @12pm PST, which will be broadcast LIVE on https://t.co/Chxh6xxfZY. For more info, visit my website.

— Maria Sharapova (@MariaSharapova) March 7, 2016

WATCH: Maria Sharapova says she would never announce retirement in L.A. hotel “with a fairly ugly carpet” https://t.co/TXmmcNEvuN

— Globalnews.ca (@globalnews) March 7, 2016

Maria Sharapova failed drugs test, If She has been taking some cough syrup by mistake when she was ill and got caught out that would be one thing. But she took a performance enhancing drug. Sure it was only banned this year but she was using a drug to boost performance. Letter of the law, not the spirit.