8 June 2016 – London, ENGLAND - An Independent Tribunal appointed
under Article 8.1 of the 2016 Tennis Anti-Doping Programme (the
"Programme") has found that Maria Sharapova committed an Anti-Doping
Rule Violation under Article 2.1 of the Programme and as a consequence has
disqualified the affected results and imposed a period of ineligibility of two
years, commencing on 26 January 2016.
Ms. Sharapova, a 29-year-old player from Russia, provided a urine sample on
26 January 2016, after her quarter-final match at the 2016 Australian Open in
Melbourne, Australia. That sample was sent to the WADA-accredited laboratory in
Montreal, Canada for analysis, and was found to contain meldonium, which is a
metabolic modulator that is included under section S4 (Hormone and Metabolic
Modulators) of the 2016 WADA Prohibited List, and therefore is also prohibited
under the Programme.
On 2 March 2016, Ms. Sharapova was charged with an Anti-Doping Rule
Violation under Article 2.1 of the Programme (presence of a Prohibited
Substance in a Player’s Sample). She promptly admitted that she had committed
the Anti-Doping Rule Violation charged, and asked for a hearing before an
Independent Tribunal in accordance with Article 8 of the Programme to determine
the consequences to be imposed on her for that violation.
At a two-day hearing on 18-19 May 2016, the Independent Tribunal received
evidence and heard legal arguments from both parties, and subsequently issued a
reasoned decision on 8 June, which is available below. The Independent Tribunal
determined that (1) Ms. Sharapova should serve a period of ineligibility of two
years; (2) due to her prompt admission of her violation, that period of
ineligibility should be back-dated under Article 10.10.3(b) of the Programme to
commence from 26 January 2016 (the date of sample collection) and so should end
at midnight on 25 January 2018; and (3) her results at the 2016 Australian Open
should be disqualified, with resulting forfeiture of the ranking points and
prize money that she won at that event.
The Tennis Anti-Doping Programme applies to all players competing at Grand
Slam tournaments and events sanctioned by the ITF, ATP, and WTA. Players are
tested for substances prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency and, upon a
finding that an Anti-Doping Rule Violation has been committed, sanctions are
imposed under the Programme in compliance with the requirements of the World
Anti-Doping Code. More information on the Programme, sanctions, statistics, and
related matters can be found at www.itftennis.com/antidoping.
Read more at http://www.itftennis.com/news/231175.aspx#354bvymjS83WbTj8.99
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