OT: Maria Sharapova banned from tennis for two years

Submitted by The Mad Hatter on

Apparently she had been taking something (meldonium) for several years and wasn't aware that it was recently added to the banned substances list.

A two year suspension seems harsh, especially for a player her age.   

http://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/36482288

MOD EDIT - I think Hatter totally meant that part about spanking in jest, but to prevent further descent into hell in this thread, I have removed the reference and done some purging to tone it down. - LSA

Hab

June 8th, 2016 at 12:10 PM ^

It seems particularly harsh in light of the fact that she self-reported the violation too.  Perhaps there were other circumstances forcing her to self-report that I'm not aware of, but it doesn't seem to want to encourage others to follow her example.

goblueram

June 8th, 2016 at 12:11 PM ^

I think it's ridiculous.  She was taking the substance legally for the vast majority of the time, then all of a sudden it was banned.  Quite a harsh punishment, and a shame.

mgoblue0970

June 8th, 2016 at 12:17 PM ^

I'm torn between this...

She got 2 years instead of 4. Which means the international body determined she didn't intentionally cheat.

The standard is 4 if it is determined there was willful cheating.

She took a drug though for 10 years which isn't supposed to be prescribed for maintenance needs -- meaning not long term.

I think the witch hunt culture which exists post-Dick Pound's pursuit of cycling for years is clouding logic and reason here.

The moral of the story is if the world body sends you an email in December, you should probably read it before March.

MI Expat NY

June 8th, 2016 at 12:21 PM ^

She was pretty clearly taking the drug for performance enhancement.  I haven't seen any doctor anywhere say anything to suggest that the long-term use of the drug is appropriate.  When you take things for performance enhancement, it's on you to make damn sure it continues to be legal.  I don't have a huge problem with her punishment.  

mgoblue0970

June 8th, 2016 at 12:28 PM ^

I guess I don't either with the punishment.  Athletes are responsible for what they put in their bodies and especially after what Lance Armstrong pulled, there's going to be zero tolerance on excuse making.  That's why she got 2.

She'll won't be in a GS again until she's 31.  Her big time career is pretty much over.

BUT, she wasn't found to be cheating by the world body... I'm not going to go all Nancy Grace and state she "clearly" was cheating as you say.  Nobody here can testify to her intent. 

stephenrjking

June 8th, 2016 at 12:34 PM ^

"Witch hunt culture?" What are you talking about? I'm a cycling fan and cycling was so loaded with PEDs that at the height of the era, riders could not even participate in top races (let alone win) without doping.

And doping is widespread throughout top levels of sport. I have zero doubt that it's a problem in tennis (a pitiful testing regimen and a strong media aversion to learning more keeps it quiet) and not just with Sharapova. It is, of course, everywhere in track. And I guarantee that it is extremely widespread in major team sports, for the simple reason that there are real competitive (and thus financial) benefits to it and it rarely if ever gets caught.

Sharapova getting suspended for this is, as in an analogous situation in cycling past with Alberto Contador, like Al Capone getting busted for tax evasion. There's more that can't be proven.

mgoblue0970

June 8th, 2016 at 12:53 PM ^

Dick Pound was censured by WADA and CAS for playing lose and fast with the rules.

NOWHERE in my post did I ever suggest that cycling wasn't dirty.

I was commenting about a person who took his cause to the exterme and who made things personal and the effects of such behavior.

If you're going to reply to what I said, please don't take liberties with it!

stephenrjking

June 8th, 2016 at 1:02 PM ^

That's a fair response about Pound, but your greater point was about a witch-hunt culture against doping, a term suggesting that you think it is unfair and/or inaccurate. And my response was to discuss how widespread I believe doping to be.

mgoblue0970

June 8th, 2016 at 1:15 PM ^

Doping is indeed widespread.  For every person in here bitching about the Russians have clearly forgotten their history about how effed up USA Track and Field has been. That's not the debate.

The debate I pose is this is a drug which was permitted for years.  The reasons for the change haven't been communicated to the public -- perhaps it's in the email MS neglected to read in a timely manner.  But where is the evidence she knowingly, willfully cheated?  Where she tried to cover anything up?  But because of the past, she gets two years anyway.

Ultimately I don't have a problem with the 2 years.  For me, where MS has some 'splaining to do is this drug is not meant to be a maintenance drug.

ijohnb

June 8th, 2016 at 12:23 PM ^

I will always have that one Enrique Iglesias video with her in it.  That will have to suffice.

turtleboy

June 8th, 2016 at 12:49 PM ^

That's extremely harsh, and probably bad for tennis, however, I do agree with putting screamers like her and other loud female tennis stars far away from center court.