Russian Dope

[Lord Jim]

Tennis star Maria Sharapova hit with two-year ban for doping



Maria Sharapova was suspended for two years by the International Tennis Federation on Wednesday for testing positive for meldonium at the Australian Open in January.

The 29-year-old Russian tennis star, who has lucrative advertising contracts, said she will immediately appeal the suspension.

According to a statement on Sharapova's Facebook page, the ITF "unanimously concluded" that the tennis star "did not seek treatment from [her] doctor for the purpose of obtaining a performance enhancing substance."

"The ITF spent tremendous amounts of time and resources trying to prove I intentionally violated the anti-doping rules and the tribunal concluded I did not. You need to know that the ITF asked the tribunal to suspend me for four years — the required suspension for an intentional violation — and the tribunal rejected the ITF's position," Sharapova said.

She said she "cannot accept an unfairly harsh two-year suspension."

"The tribunal, whose members were selected by the ITF, agreed that I did not do anything intentionally wrong, yet they seek to keep me from playing tennis for two years," she said.

"I have missed playing tennis and I have missed my amazing fans, who are the best and most loyal fans in the world. I have read your letters. I have read your social media posts and your love and support has gotten me through these tough days. I intend to stand for what I believe is right and that's why I will fight to be back on the tennis court as soon as possible," Sharapova said.

After the ruling, Steve Simon, CEO of the Women's Tennis Association, said: "It is important at all times for players to be aware of the rules and to follow them."

"In this case, Maria has taken responsibility for her mistake from the outset," Simon said in a statement.

"The WTA supports the process that the ITF and Maria have followed. The ITF has made its ruling and, under the Tennis Anti-Doping Program, the decision may be appealed to the Court Arbitration for Sport. The WTA will continue to follow this closely and we hope it will be resolved as soon as possible," he said.

The five-time Grand Slam champion, who is now ranked 26th, was provisionally suspended by the ITF in early March, when she announced at a news conference in Los Angeles that she failed a doping test in January.

Following the news, a number of Sharapova's sponsors distanced themselves from the world's highest-paid female athlete, including Nike, TAG Heuer, and Porsche. It was previously reported that the tennis star's deal with Nike was worth more than $100 million.

Sharapova said then she was not aware that the World Anti-Doping Agency had barred athletes from using meldonium, also known as mildronate, as of Jan. 1.[Is that possible? Wouldn't all the ranked players get notices for that sort of thing?]
Her lawyer, John Haggerty, says Sharapova took the substance after that date.

Sharapova said she first was prescribed the Latvian-made drug, typically used for heart conditions, for medical reasons in 2006.

http://www.cnbc.com/2016/06/08/tennis-p ... oping.html

[RayThom]

Oh, the poor young woman. But, quite honestly, it appears to be her heritage.

She was caught -- she pays. Simple as that.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/russia-dema ... hrown-out/

[Guinevere]

Sharapova admitted that she got the notice, she just didn't read it. If she was truly taking the drug for medical reasons, then shame on her since she may have been able to get a medical exemption. No one seems to buy that argument, since the drug is so widely "prescribed" to Russian athletes who generally done seem to have heart problems.

I can't imagine she will actually return to competition from this, but only time will tell.

[MajGenl.Meade]

Well I always thought the young Hillary was run by Moscow Central but surely this is proof?

[rubato]

Sharapova admitted that she got the notice, she just didn't read it. If she was truly taking the drug for medical reasons, then shame on her since she may have been able to get a medical exemption. No one seems to buy that argument, since the drug is so widely "prescribed" to Russian athletes who generally done seem to have heart problems.

I can't imagine she will actually return to competition from this, but only time will tell.

She will be back. 6 mos of her ban has run so the question is whether it will be in 6 mos or 18.

I am inclined to believe her explanations. She made a full and immediate confession. The drug only recently was banned so her claiming negligence is reasonable. Her health and medical advisors should have caught it though. Nearly Everything a professional athlete is putting in their bodies is for performance enhancement, no?

She is not a corrupt deliberate serial cheater like Lance, the Russians, Tammi Thomas, or Marion Jones.


Yrs,
Rubato

[BoSoxGal]

Well I always thought the young Hillary was run by Moscow Central but surely this is proof?

[Long Run]

I am not inclined to give any Russian athlete the benefit of the doubt. I think the reason Sharapova got out front on this is to protect, to the extent possible, her considerable endorsement future. The athletes that concede they took PEDs and act somewhat contrite, even if they offer an iffy rationale, seem to get forgiven very quickly (e.g., Andy Petite, Mark McGwire, a lot of bicyclists). In contrast, those who hold out and profess their innocence become toxic to be associated with (Lance, Bonds, Clemens, Marion Jones, A-rod). She had a sensible advisor point her in the right direction -- serve her time and then do a comeback, and she will regain a fair amount of sponsorship.

[Guinevere]

Agreed.

And 2 years is a long time in women's tennis. Some new young players coming up fast.

[Lord Jim]

And 2 years is a long time in women's tennis.

Especially when you're 29....

Getting back on the circuit at 31 is going to be a challenge...

[rubato]

The Russkies are OUT!


http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/18/sport ... v=top-news

Russia’s Track and Field Team Barred From Rio Olympics

Russia’s track and field team has been barred from competing in this summer’s Rio Games because of a far-reaching doping conspiracy, an extraordinary punishment without precedent in Olympics history.

The global governing body for track and field, known as the I.A.A.F., announced the decision on Friday, ruling in a unanimous vote that Russia had not done enough to restore global confidence in the integrity of its athletes.

The International Olympic Committee, the ultimate authority over the Games, is due to discuss the decision on Tuesday. If Olympics officials were to amend the ruling against Russia, it would be an unusual move, as they have historically deferred to the governing bodies for specific sports.

The Russian ministry of sport said in a statement on Friday that it was “extremely disappointed,” adding: “We now appeal to the members of the International Olympic Committee to not only consider the impact that our athletes’ exclusion will have on their dreams and the people of Russia, but also that the Olympics themselves will be diminished by their absence.”

The head of the track organization, Sebastian Coe, said on Friday that politics had not influenced the vote. “It was unambiguous,” he said, emphasizing the I.A.A.F.’s authority over the matter and noting he would attend the I.O.C. meeting next week. “Whichever decision was made today was going to be a sad decision.”

[Lord Jim]

Oh great, now Putin will invade Brazil...

[Big RR]

and they'll be fast and strong. The javelin throwers alone could take out a battalion, and the shot putters could probably disable a tank. Good steroids.

[Bicycle Bill]

The global governing body for track and field, known as the I.A.A.F., announced the decision on Friday, ruling in a unanimous vote that Russia had not done enough to restore global confidence in the integrity of its athletes.

That's assuming they had any global integrity in the first place.

The Russian ministry of sport said in a statement on Friday that it was “extremely disappointed,” adding: “We now appeal to the members of the International Olympic Committee to not only consider the impact that our athletes’ exclusion will have on their dreams and the people of Russia, but also that the Olympics themselves will be diminished by their absence.”

But did they "consider the impact, etc." back in 1984 when they opted out of attending the Games in LA because .... what was the reason again?  Oh yeah, they were still in a snit because the US didn't send *OUR* athletes to Moscow in 1980 in protest of their actions in Afghanistan and elsewhere, so they picked up their marbles and refused to play.

Add to that the change in policy to allow openly-professional athletes into what was (at least nominally) an amateur athletic competition, and not even a personal invitation from Roone Arledge and Jim McKay would have been able to get me to give a good goddamn about the Olympics again.

-"BB"-