Russian teenager banned from tennis for nine months following anti-doping breach
Russian tennis player Maria Sharapova has been banned for nine months after a positive doping test. The US Tennis Association and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) have agreed on a ban of six months.
The positive test came on August 2 after she withdrew from the main draw of the Brisbane International with the Russian authorities having informed the IAAF, the international body that regulates and oversees the sport, of the positive test.
World Anti-Doping Agency president Richard Pound said Sharapova would not be allowed to compete until December 16th.
“In light of the WADA Code of Conduct, the World Anti-Doping Agency will abide by the decision of the IAAF and the decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport in terms of the appropriate sanction to be imposed on the Russian players and the Russian federation,” Pound said.
Sharapova and her doubles partner Janko Tipsarevic will compete in the next months. Janko Tipsarevic had been forced to withdraw from his second-round match with John Isner, who subsequently withdrew from the next match against James Blake.
In an official statement, tennis governing body the ITF said it had given clearance to Sharapova to compete in the Brisbane International from August 2 – 7.
“On the basis of this clearance, we can now proceed with the Brisbane International,” ITF Vice-President David Mercer said. “The ITF has no further comment at this stage.”
Sharapova has a history of positive tests. In June 2014, she was provisionally suspended for a year by the WADA for testing positive for a diuretic and in 2011 she was also suspended for two months for taking part in a doping inquiry.
The World Anti-Doping Agency also confirmed Sharapova would not compete in the main draw of the Bali Open and the WTA International tournaments that follow, which will take place from August 22 – 30.
Sharapova could still continue to play for the Russian