Sharapova banned for two years
Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova has been banned for two years after failing a drug test, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) announced on Wednesday.
Sharapova tested positive for the controversial banned medication meldonium during January's Australian Open.
"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," said a statement on the ITF website.
The Tennis Anti-Doping Programme has found that Maria Sharapova committed an Anti-Doping Rule Violation https://t.co/xFcbXqCmZD
— ITF (@ITF_Tennis) June 8, 2016