Sharapova fails drug test

[GameSetAndMath]

Shamil speaks again . He has proven to be reliable before. We now know two things.

1. Sharapova has admitted that she has taken Meldonium after Jan 1st (there was some doubt as to whether she will waffle or backtrack on this as she did not explicitly state so in the press conference in LA).

2. But, Sharapova's lawyers seem to claim that her high level of meldonium found is due to her taking it for years. There does not seem to be scientific consensus on this. So, the labs are doing more studies.
and hence the hearing is postponed.

The hearing is now moved to June. The good news is that it looks like in view of the delays involved, Dominatrix will not be able to play Wimbledon, independent of what is the verdict. :clap

 

[PaintMaria]

Shamil speaks again . He has proven to be reliable before. We now know two things.

1. Sharapova has admitted that she has taken Meldonium after Jan 1st (there was some doubt as to whether she will waffle or backtrack on ths).

2. But, Sharapova's lawyers seem to claim that her high level of meldonium found is due to her taking it for years. There does not seem to be scientific consensus on this. So, the labs are doing more studies.
and hence the hearing is postponed.

The hearing is now moved to June. The good news is that it looks like in view of the delays involved, Dominatrix will not be able to play Wimbledon, independent of what is the verdict. :clap

Her high level is either consistent with taking more than 500mg, as she claimed, and could be consistent with a higher dosage, which has to reach 1500mg to be used as a PED. The claim is that the level could also be consistent with a medical dosage of 500mg combined with residual Meldonium as a result ot taking the drug for 10 years, but this claim is less plausible.

She could be in trouble.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

I got to take my assertion back. Here is Shamil's statement verbatim.

"Sharapova’s situation is complicated. The thing is that she admitted that she had taken meldonium. The case will not be considered so long as the two laboratories do not study the preparation. I believe that’s not going to happen earlier than June," Tarpishchev said.

It is not clear whether the admission refers to taking Meldonium in general (which is old news) or taking Meldonium after Jan 1st.

Even though basically what she said in the press conference amounts to admission that she took it after Jan 1st, technically she had not explicitly said so in the press conference and so the lawyers might provide a spin that she never took it after Jan 1st and the high level is due to 10 years of taking it as a medicine for "magnesium deficiency, etc".

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

In my opinion if she comes back before 2017, the powers that be failed.

 

[special700]

In my opinion if she comes back before 2017, the powers that be failed.

Exactly. She should be give 2yrs or more.

 

[10isfan]

It appears she is in London for the hearing. There is no justification for a ban less than one year, but her lawyer will fight to get her off with much less. I am curious how this will end.

 

[special700]

It will end with white priviliage. You know when you are white you are right. Just like the thug who kill those 4 people and got off because of afflunenza.....Whatever the f....that is. All I can do is shake my head.

 

[colleen66]

It will end with white priviliage. You know when you are white you are right. Just like the thug who kill those 4 people and got off because of afflunenza.....Whatever the f....that is. All I can do is shake my head.

If Maria is given a "time served" sentence or if she is only banned for a few months, it will be bitter pill to swallow for other players and I believe for most fans. If she "got off" it has more to do with the facts that she has been used as the face of the WTA for many years and she brings publicity to the sport. I don't know about "white privilege"; other white players have been banned throughout the years.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

It is the "(perceived) beauty privilege".

 

[tossip]

the way she is floricking around is a way of saying that she doesnt care because she is the top whatever and she is saying that she will get away with it.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Bad news for dominatrix. According to an opinion poll of fellow pros conducted by ESPN 65% say she should be given an year ban and 29% say she should be given multi year ban.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

According to The Guardian the expected length of ban is between six and 12 months.

But, I have doubts when I look at the details. It appears that Maria cannot repudiate her earlier admission that she had taken Meldonium even after Jan 1st. Also, the confusion surrounding the length of time needed for the drug to leave the system is not going to help Maria as her levels were higher than allowed for free escape.

So, Maria's case now essentially boils down to asking for retroactive TUE (Theraupetic Use Exemption) for using Meldonium due to the laundry list of her health concerns (Magnesium deficiency, Family History of Diabetes, abnormal EKG etc etc). Given that hundreds of athletes are taking this drug, the tribunal has to be extremely gullible to buy this argument, even if some kind of medical documents from shady Russian Doctors are provided.

I am thinking that it will be either 3 months ban (assuming they buy the TUE argument) or else at least an year or more (if they don't buy TUE argument).

Given that they know that the whole world is watching, the chances of them accepting TUE argument is low. So, I think it will be an year or more.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Nobody knows the location of hearing although it is believed to be in London. Also, there is some doubt as to whether hearing is actually taking place in view of Shamil's statements that they want to wait unitl the Lab's findings are known.

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

All eyes are watching, they better believe the results from this will establish perhaps a precedent. It might also not sit well with the lower tier of players who already feel that key players get away with things they most certainly wouldn't if she gets a pass. I think they know this which anything less than 6 months won't be looked upon favorably. She deserves 2 years in my eyes, but I think that might drive her to retire which the powers that be wouldn't want.

 

[britbox]

I think that her defence might have something to do with the simple facts that nobody did any testing on this drug, there are no set limits on what usage is considered doping and what amount of the drug are not doping. WADA rushed on the decision to ban this substance without really providing any explanation or doing any research on the effects of it. They just "monitored" the results for a year after receiving a tip that Russian athletes were using this particular drug. It seems that even if you stop taking this drug before the deadline, the traces will still be found afterwards.

I am sure that other national sports programs are squeaky clean and their athletes are not using anything for recuperation purposes. :whistle:

No, I doubt they are squeaky clean either... but the bottom line is she failed the test AND admitted using after the ban date.

 

[Billie]

No, I doubt they are squeaky clean either... but the bottom line is she failed the test AND admitted using after the ban date.

And she should face the consequences. The drug is banned and that's it. Even if I think the circumstances about banning it are suspicious, there is no way out it without some penalties.

 

[britbox]

According to this article, Sharapova might be currently in a "secret" hearing...

http://thenewdaily.com.au/sport/2016/05/19/sharapova-meldonium/

Just what the sport needs... secret meetings to thrash out doping deals.

 

[Billie]

Ha more drama, twists and turns. I am interested to see what happens with all this.

 

[britbox]

If they went with the letter of the law, then Maria should actually get a four year ban.

Something tells me she will get around 6 months, most of which she's served already. She might be back in time for Wimbledon.

 

[Billie]

If they went with the letter of the law, then Maria should actually get a four year ban.

Something tells me she will get around 6 months, most of which she's served already. She might be back in time for Wimbledon.

I don't think so, personally. I think she'll get at least a year.