Sharapova targets April return after doping ban reduced

LAUSANNE, Switzerland - Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova hailed the reduction of her two-year doping ban on Tuesday as one of the "happiest days" of her life, immediately targeting a return to action in April 2017.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) cut Sharapova's ban to 15 months saying she was not an "intentional doper", after the 29-year-old tested positive for the banned medication meldonium during January's Australian Open -- throwing her glittering, money-spinning career into serious jeopardy.

"I’ve gone from one of the toughest days of my career last March, when I learned about my suspension, to now, one of my happiest days, as I found out I can return to tennis in April," said Sharapova, who has racked up 35 WTA singles titles and more than $36 million in career earnings.

An April return means she would be able to compete at the French Open in May-June next year -- she is a two-time champion at Roland Garros.

Sharapova, whose ferocity on court, business acumen and glamorous looks all combined to make her a marketing juggernaut, was hit with a two-year ban by an independent tribunal appointed by the International Tennis Federation (ITF).

Reducing the ban, the Lausanne-based CAS "found that Ms Sharapova committed an anti-doping rule violation and that while it was with 'no significant fault', she bore some degree of fault, for which a sanction of 15 months is appropriate".

And in the panel's more detailed, formal decision, it said significantly: "Under no circumstances, therefore, can the player be considered to be an 'intentional doper'."

Sharapova openly admitted she had been taking meldonium, an over-the-counter drug made in Latvia, for 10 years to help treat illnesses, a heart issue and a magnesium deficiency.

She always maintained that it had entirely escaped her attention that the product had been added to the banned substance list published by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on January 1, just before the Australian Open.

"I have taken responsibility from the very beginning for not knowing that the over-the-counter supplement I had been taking for the last 10 years was no longer allowed," Sharapova said in her Facebook post Tuesday.

"But I also learned how much better other (sports) Federations were at notifying their athletes of the rule change, especially in Eastern Europe, where Mildronate (the trade name of meldonium) is commonly taken by millions of people."

Sharapova added: "Now that this process is over, I hope the ITF and other relevant tennis anti-doping authorities will study what these other Federations did, so that no other tennis player will have to go through what I went through."

Steve Simon, CEO of the WTA, said he backed the CAS decision.

"We are pleased that the process is now at completion and can look forward to seeing Maria back on court in 2017," he added.

'Counting the days'

Sharapova, who off the court enjoyed successful ventures such as her "Sugarpova" line of candy, helping her amass a fortune estimated at $200 million, said she was itching to get back on court.

"I’m coming back soon and I can’t wait!" she said.

"In so many ways, I feel like something I love was taken away from me and it will feel really good to have it back.

"Tennis is my passion and I have missed it. I am counting the days until I can return to the court."

Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko told TASS news agency: "I'm very happy for Maria, although I think that CAS should have fully lifted her suspension for a drug like meldonium."

Sharapova was intially prescribed meldonium a year after winning Wimbledon as a 17-year-old by a Russian doctor in Moscow to boost her immune system.

She burst onto the tennis scene by stealing hearts and that title at Wimbledon in 2004 before going on to clinch the US Open in 2006, the Australian Open in 2008 and the French Open in 2012 and 2014.

The chairman of Sharapova's tennis racquet manufacturer and sponsor, Head, was emphatic in his criticism of rulings on meldonium.

"We are very proud to have stood by Maria for the right reasons throughout these difficult and testing times," said Johan Eliasch.

Alexander Zhukov, president of Russia's Olympic Committee, said that he hopes Sharapova will be able to compete at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, after missing out on the August Rio Games due to her suspension.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Tennis to survive Sharapova storm, generation change: experts

PARIS, France - Rocked by Maria Sharapova's failed drugs test confession and the sun threatening to set on a golden generation, tennis faces huge challenges to maintain its impressive global profile.

But despite Sharapova, the world's highest earning sportswoman, confronting a potentially career-ending ban, industry insiders insist that the sport can ride out the storm.

"The Maria Sharapova doping story, whilst not ideal for the sport, is certainly not damaging enough to really affect tennis in the same way as we saw perhaps with cycling or sprinting," Jon Stainer, managing director of sports sponsorship experts Repucom, told AFP.

"In both those cases, doping was being carried out by a number of athletes for a sustained period."

Sharapova has amassed a personal fortune of $200 million and, according to the 2015 Forbes rich-list, the 28-year-old Russian earned almost $30 million last year, the bulk of which came from off-court endorsements.

The five-time major champion earned more than great rival Serena Williams, the undisputed world number one and 21-time Grand Slam title winner, who banked almost $25 million.

As an indication of their significance to the sport, the two women also have huge social media profiles which dwarf their top 10 rivals.

Williams has six million Twitter followers; world number seven Sharapova boasts more than two million.

But the five players between them in the rankings -- Australian Open winner Angelique Kerber, Agnieszka Radwanska, Garbine Muguruza, Simona Halep and Carla Suarez Navarro -- have under 600,000 between them.

The ruling WTA would be forgiven for hoping that the charismatic, photogenic but unpredictable talents of Caroline Wozniacki and Eugenie Bouchard can soon make a Grand Slam breakthrough.

Sharapova, for her part, has not ruled out a return although her fate is in the hands of others.

"I am determined to play tennis again and I hope I will have the chance to do so. I wish I didn't have to go through this, but I do -- and I will," she said.

Although Sharapova has seen her money-spinning relationships with Nike and Porsche suspended, her racquet manufacturer Head has stayed loyal. Even on the sidelines she remains a formidable business prospect.

'BEAUTY SELLS'

"Beauty sells," she once famously said and business experts tend to agree.

"Sharapova is the most marketable female athlete in the world, ranking above the likes of Serena Williams and (Alpine skiier) Lindsey Vonn," added Stainer.

"According to our Celebrity DBI Index, of the 76 percent of people that know of her globally, 74 percent say they like her and 75 percent say they find her aspirational.

"Brands are currently waiting to see what further fall-out there might be but are seemingly cautious not to cut ties too quickly as those that do may allow other rivals to easily take their place."

Meanwhile, there is a question mark over the staying power of Williams, who will be 35 in September and remains frustratingly one major title short of equalling Steffi Graf's Open era record of 22.

But she's not the only one fighting time.

Roger Federer, the record 17-time Grand Slam champion, will turn 35 in August and has been without a major since Wimbledon in 2012.

The Swiss was tennis's top earner in 2015 -- and fifth on Forbes' all sports list -- with $67 million.

Current world number one, Novak Djokovic, six years Federer's junior, raked in $48 million.

Their longtime rival Rafael Nadal, the winner of 14 majors, will be 30 in June and last year, for the first time since 2004, he failed to win at least one major in a season.

But Nadal still made $32.5 million.

Djokovic and Andy Murray, 28, will of course remain to carry the banner and even if the sport faces a scramble for its next poster boys and girls, experts insist tennis is bigger than individual attraction.

Japan's Kei Nishikori, who is 26, and 25-year-old Canadian Milos Raonic are seen as key to future growth outside of Europe.

Then there are the four Grand Slams which are "incredibly strong brands in their own right", added Stainer.

"In terms of commerciality, the Williams sisters and Maria Sharapova have taken the women's game to a new level, but women in sport is a much more attractive concept to sponsors now more than ever.

"Tennis's appeal across a large number of international markets and audiences types means it is protected somewhat from individual and isolated issues such as this (the Sharapova affair)."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com