The Tennis Thread

[DramatistDreamer]

Her management company apparently decided to create a You Tube page with livestreaming of this announcement, complete with Countdown clock!  WTF, are you kidding me?

 

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[DramatistDreamer]

So Chris McKendry of ESPN tweeted that Sharapova's announcement is likely NOT about retirement.  Then why have this Press Conference now?

[Soapsuds]

I read that but wasn't sure if I had read it correctly…LOL

[DramatistDreamer]

If this wasn't being livestreamed (I work on my laptop), I wouldn't even bother.  I admit to still being somewhat curious but I've avoid Social media for most of the day because there is too much speculation and I'm becoming annoyed.

The Countdown Clock has me  though.

[Soapsuds]

Well they are saying it is her retirement. Even though others said its not.

Edited March 7, 2016 by Soapsuds

[DramatistDreamer]

It has to be.  I heard both her parents are there.  What else could it be other than retirement.  I don't trust ESPN either.

Dayum!  Failed drug test!

[Soapsuds]

Just saw that!

[Toups]

It's not that big of an issue. She's been taking the substance since 2006, and it was only put on the banned substance list on January 1, 2016.  She made the mistake of not checking her email that provided the new banned list.  This might hurt her a tiny bit but enough to lose her endorsements, or her championships coming into question. 

[YRBB]

"she made the mistake." LOL

[DramatistDreamer]

 

 

The ban was announced in September 2015, Sharapova said she didn't read the letter.  And three other Russian athletes have also been banned for using the same Meldonium (one just announced earlier today before Maria).  Some people within the tennis world are saying they expect a 3-6 month ban, at the least.

 

 

Just read that Sharapova's lawyer announced that she has been provisionally suspended and she will not be asked for her B sample to be tested.

Edited March 7, 2016 by DramatistDreamer

[Soapsuds]

She should have checked but I am not sure if the drug she was taking had a generic name to it. Would she have known it was the drug she was taking? 

See thats why you should always read your mail.

2 year suspension to 4 year suspension….

Marin Cilic received 7 months I believe…after it being reduced. I find it odd that Cilic hasn't done squat after his US Open win. 

 

[DramatistDreamer]

If you're an athlete in the age of WADA, it's your health/life, your name and your career on the line, so you need to make sure that you keep abreast of what's going on, especially if you are on medication.  I'm not fully clear on whether this was fully FDA approved either.  If the letter was sent out in September of last year, there was warning of a looming ban on the horizon.  

 

Someone will have to go back and read the transcript.  I thought she said she read a part of it but didn't look too closely at the full list but didn't read the full letter.  I don't want to be suspicious but quite a lot of Russian athletes have been failing drugs tests as of late (even though Maria spends most of her time in the U.S.) and at least 3 other Russian athletes have failed tests for this same Meldonium.  Weird and confusing.

[Toups]

Oh yeah, for sure, every athlete should be aware of the banned substance list for their sport, especially for someone like Maria, who I believe is the highest paid woman in sports. Also, if you've been taking something for 10 years, you don't automatically think it will be added to the banned list (and if you don't know it's also known as another name), but it's your responsibility to check.  In this case, I think 6 months to a year would be a reasonable suspension.  Imagine if she had won the Aussie Open - it would've been a bigger story than it already is. 

Edited March 7, 2016 by Toups

[Soapsuds]

She's been injured a lot so maybe the unexpected suspension will let her really heal properly and bring her back to the tour stronger. If Cilic received 7 months then Maria shouldn't receive any worse. I'd say 5 to 6 months is fair….

[DramatistDreamer]

A journalist from the Daily Telegraph tweeted 2 years for unintentional use, 4 years if use was intentional.  I'm treating all of this talk as speculation though.