Maria Sharapova banned for two years by ITF for doping

London: 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 January 26, 2016.

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Sharapova, a 29-year-old player from Russia, provided a urine sample in January, after her quarterfinal 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.

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On March 2, 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.

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At a two-day hearing on May 18-19, the independent tribunal received evidence and heard legal arguments from both parties, and subsequently issued a reasoned decision on Wednesday, which is available below.

The independent tribunal determined that (1) 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 January 26 (the date of sample collection) and so should end at midnight on January 25, 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.

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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.