Sports retail giant, Nike, has suspended sponsorship ties with tennis star Maria Sharapova, after she failed a drug test ahead of the 2016 Australian Open.
On Monday afternoon, following a notification from her PR company, the 28-year-old stood in front of the packed hall in an LA hotel, and admitted to failing a dope test at the 2016 Australian Open.
I made a huge mistake. I let my fans down and I let the sport down.Maria Sharapova
Out of action for over a month due to a forearm injury, the Russian 28-year-old said she had failed the test for using meldonium, something she has been taking for the last 10 years due to health issues.
Sharapova claimed she had simply failed to notice the addition of meldonium to the banned substance list.
I received an email on 22 December from Wada [World Anti-Doping Agency] about the changes to the banned list and you can see prohibited items, and I didn’t click on that link.Maria Sharapova
Last year, Sharapova was the world’s highest paid female athlete for the 11th year consecutively, with earnings as high as $29.7 million, $23 million of which came from endorsements. She is number 26 on the list of highest paid sportspersons in the world.
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