Sharapova fails drug test

Maria Sharapova has announced that she failed a drug test at the 2016 Australian Open.

The former world No. 1 said she received a letter from WADA on December 27 detailing the changes to the 2016 list, which she didn’t read.

Sharapova said she was given a medicine containing meldonium about a decade ago to combat a magnesium deficiency, irregular heart readings and a family history of diabetes.

“It made me healthy and that’s why I continued to take it,” Sharapova said.

Meldonium, or Mildronate, can be used to treat heart conditions, neurological disorders and diabetes.

It was added to WADA’s banned substances list from January 1 due to evidence of its use by athletes to enhance performance.

Sharapova said she doesn’t know what the consequences will be, but that she wants to keep playing.

“I have no one to blame but myself. (You have a team around you) but at the end of the day, everything that you do is about you,” Sharapova said.

“I received an email from WADA … with a link where you could see the prohibited items for 2016. And I did not look at that list.

“I do not (know the consequences). This is very new to me. I just received a letter a few days ago and I will be working with the ITF.”

The Russian, currently ranked seventh in the world, has played only four tournaments since Wimbledon in July.

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The $400,000 that she won at the Australian Open will be immediately forfeited, with a two-year and potentially career-ending ban a realistic possibility.

“I’ve let my fans down, I’ve let the sport down,” she said.

“I don’t want to end my career this way. I really hope that I will be given another chance to play this game.”

The medicine addresses “health issues” the Russian said she was having.

“I was getting the flu every couple of months,” she said.

The 28-year-old has won five grand slams and amassed career prize money of almost $50 million.

Sharapova reached the quarter-finals of the Australian Open, where she fell in straight sets to long-time foe Serena Williams.

 

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