Maria Sharapova's tennis career is over.
I think we can be pretty clear on this now.
Whether it should be or not is another discussion entirely, but it is now clear that, even should she be allowed to continue to compete, it is clear her career (rightly or otherwise) will be declared tainted by some of her peers and by some in the tennis community.
Maria Sharapova called a press conference earlier this week, and announced she had failed a drug test at the Australian Open, facing a possible two to four year suspension from the sport -- and, at 28, that and the stigma it would entail probably ends Sharapova's career.
She has already lost most of her lucrative sponsorship deals with Tag Heuer, Nike, etc.
The drug in question is Meldonium. Sharapova had been taking the drug since 2006, but WADA added it to the banned drugs list this year, and Sharapova apparently could not get sufficient clearance not to have her test declared failed because of it.
Sharapova states that an irregular heartbeat and a family of diabetes have had her taking the drug for the last decade.
However, WADA has stated in response to the Sharapova announcement that athletes have been known to use Meldonium to enhance their performance. The Latvian company which makes it actually states the drug is only prescribed for four to six weeks at a time.
So the real question is left as to whether Sharapova is right, or her entire career has been a drug-ladened fraud -- and with the still-suspended Russian track situation, it doesn't appear as if at least the corporate opinion is that favorable to Sharapova.
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