Maria Sharapova received a two-year suspension from the International Tennis Federation (ITF) after a drug scandal in which she tested positive for meldonium in her system.
After hearing about this story, I thought it could have been handled rationally and in a timely fashion if Sharapova would have openly reported taking the drug when she learned it was banned.
Meldonium is a drug that is used to treat heart problems but also has some physical enhancing abilities or side effects. According to CNN, Sharapova failed the drug test at the Australia Open in January after she had lost to Serena Williams in the quarterfinals.
Sharapova is one of the richest female athletes of the decade and after this suspension of two years, her career could come to a complete close. However, there is no evidence she sought her health care provider to give her a drug that would enhance her performance, which would show an intention in doping.
According to CNN, the ITF wanted an initial four-year suspension, which is the punishment of an athlete who had intention of doping. The tribunal who heard Sharapova’s case demoted it to two years because they agree she did not intentionally violate the anti-doping regulations.
Sharapova and her lawyer sought to get the charges dropped in the Court for Arbitration of Sport, although the ITF finds this unlikely and wants Sharapova to stay suspended for at least the two years.
When I first read this story, I can’t help but wonder if it makes much sense that an internationally renowned athlete with access to the best trainers and health specialists in the world would be so concerned about her heart health. That is the missing link for me within this whole mess of a story.
This drug was recently banned. Why, if she has been taking it for years, did she not come clean about taking the drug right away?
From my experience with the NCAA and taking a medication that was on the list for banned substances, if you tell them ahead of time and get them in touch with your doctor, they either allow it or you switch to another variation of it. Of course I am aware that at the level Sharapova is at, severity of rules is different. But by allowing the ITF to know she was taking the drug before it was banned, I’d like to think Sharapova would still be able to take a heart-health medication of a different nature.
I’m not calling this female athlete a liar, but you would think she would have gotten the memo about the banning of the drug before the Australia Open. Now she’s out of the game for two years after losing to her rival, Serena Williams. Sounds to me like an overall “L” of a week, but maybe this Russian superstar’s luck will turn around.
Rachel Martin is a contributing writer for the Bona Venture. Her email is martinr14@bonaventure.edu
