Sharapova fails drug test

[GameSetAndMath]

If ITF disqualifies Maria from participating in Olympics, the Russian Tennis Federation can replace her with some other eligible player if they do it before July 18th . So, all this team announcement at this time (when almost no country has announced their team) is pure political strategy to influence the verdict.

The Russians just don't have any necessity or urgency to name their team at this time. They could have easily waited for the verdict to come. In fact, even the preliminary list of players nominated by the Tennis Federations of the countries are only due by 16th June.

Finally, to be eligible a player must be in top 56 of the rankings that will be published on 6th June 2016 after the French Open is over. So, nobody even knows the list of eligible players at this time. That is why other countries have not yet announced their teams.

Shamil is playing games.:nono

 

[tossip]

Shamil is making it hard for pova,she will get 6-12months penalty...just cannot see her coming back this season...see ya in 2017 dopapova.

 

[britbox]

 

[Moxie]

Interesting that Maria has been so calm about how long this is taking. She was initially proactive about telling her side, now she just sits out, not playing, and not protesting.

 

[Tennis Fan]

That's odd. I wonder what's going on.

 

[Tennis Fan]

Interesting that Maria has been so calm about how long this is taking. She was initially proactive about telling her side, now she just sits out, not playing, and not protesting.

There must be a lot of stuff going on behind the scenes. What a mess!

 

[Moxie]

There must be a lot of stuff going on behind the scenes. What a mess!

I don't like to be conspiratorial, but it surprises me how docile she's been about the process, and how it drags out. She may now regret that she came out ahead of it, given other revelations. Now it feels like it must be all lawyered-up and we'll see how the ITP handles it. It seems like it's just a question of how hard they come down on her. And she's falling in a time when they have to show some gravitas on the issue.

 

[Tennis Fan]

I don't like to be conspiratorial, but it surprises me how docile she's been about the process, and how it drags out. She may now regret that she came out ahead of it, given other revelations. Now it feels like it must be all lawyered-up and we'll see how the ITP handles it. It seems like it's just a question of how hard they come down on her. And she's falling in a time when they have to show some gravitas on the issue.

It's just a bad situation overall. I wish they would just settle the issue and move on. They're going to do what they want to do anyway. But as of now it just puts a pall over tennis in my opinion.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

The verdict in Meldopova's case is expected to be announced this week. According to sources close to the tribunal, the ban is expected to be somewhere between 12 months and 18 months . It will be retroactively imposed starting from 12th March 2016. :clap

If it is 18 months, it would mean Maria cannot play in any Slam in 2017 as well. :devil

 

[tossip]

The verdict in Meldopova's case is expected to be announced this week. According to sources close to the tribunal, the ban is expected to be somewhere between 12 months and 18 months . It will be retroactively imposed starting from 12th March 2016. :clap

If it is 18 months, it would mean Maria cannot play in any Slam in 2017 as well. :devil

no mercy for this dopapova...she thought she was invincible after the whole media coroneted her as the richest athelete...now Serena is the highest paid female athelete in the world deservedly so.
now pova can go get wasted on vodka with Chelsea Handler..

 

[Front242]

Don't get too hopeful on the length of her ban as the cowardly WTA CEO feels sympathy for her and said they've missed her. All they've missed is ticket sales but no one misses anything else about her. Why should she be given credit for cheating? She came forward to reduce her ban. The WTA are pathetic.

“Clearly we miss any top player when they are not there and Maria is one and we’ve missed her,” Simon said of Sharapova’s absence since the Australian Open. “Unfortunately, sports is an unforgiving world. The world moves on and the next players come who fans are going to embrace. I would love to see her come back and play.”

“I think Maria deserves a lot of credit for coming forward the way that she did. She showed the integrity she has both as an athlete and as a person,” Simon said. “That being said, no athlete is above the rules, I don’t care who you are. … Whatever that process determines her penalties will be, we will support. I hope when those penalties are served that Maria will come back and play and finish her career the way that I know she would like to finish it."

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/tennis/french/2016/05/30/ceo-looks-future-wta-beyond-williams-sisters-sharapova/85151812/

 

[tossip]

Don't get too hopeful on the length of her ban as the cowardly WTA CEO feels sympathy for her and said they've missed her. All they've missed is ticket sales but no one misses anything else about her. Why should she be given credit for cheating? She came forward to reduce her ban. The WTA are pathetic.

“Clearly we miss any top player when they are not there and Maria is one and we’ve missed her,” Simon said of Sharapova’s absence since the Australian Open. “Unfortunately, sports is an unforgiving world. The world moves on and the next players come who fans are going to embrace. I would love to see her come back and play.”

“I think Maria deserves a lot of credit for coming forward the way that she did. She showed the integrity she has both as an athlete and as a person,” Simon said. “That being said, no athlete is above the rules, I don’t care who you are. … Whatever that process determines her penalties will be, we will support. I hope when those penalties are served that Maria will come back and play and finish her career the way that I know she would like to finish it."

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/tennis/french/2016/05/30/ceo-looks-future-wta-beyond-williams-sisters-sharapova/85151812/

it seems like he s trying really hard to straddle the fence...at the same time he is not condoning her actions..in an ideal world she should get the full weight of the ban without recourse.

 

[Front242]

He lost me when he said "She showed the integrity she has both as an athlete and as a person" :nono

 

[special700]

Don't get too hopeful on the length of her ban as the cowardly WTA CEO feels sympathy for her and said they've missed her. All they've missed is ticket sales but no one misses anything else about her. Why should she be given credit for cheating? She came forward to reduce her ban. The WTA are pathetic.

“Clearly we miss any top player when they are not there and Maria is one and we’ve missed her,” Simon said of Sharapova’s absence since the Australian Open. “Unfortunately, sports is an unforgiving world. The world moves on and the next players come who fans are going to embrace. I would love to see her come back and play.”

“I think Maria deserves a lot of credit for coming forward the way that she did. She showed the integrity she has both as an athlete and as a person,” Simon said. “That being said, no athlete is above the rules, I don’t care who you are. … Whatever that process determines her penalties will be, we will support. I hope when those penalties are served that Maria will come back and play and finish her career the way that I know she would like to finish it."

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/tennis/french/2016/05/30/ceo-looks-future-wta-beyond-williams-sisters-sharapova/85151812/

it seems like he s trying really hard to straddle the fence...at the same time he is not condoning her actions..in an ideal world she should get the full weight of the ban without recourse.

This shit never ceases to amaze me and it pisses me off. This bitch got caught cheating and this idiot have the nerve to claim she deserves credit, she showed the integrity she has--- if she had any damn integrity she would not have cheated. Is Simon for real talking that shit.... please boy take a damn seat. I have lost all respect for that jerk.

 

[special700]

He lost me when he said "She showed the integrity she has both as an athlete and as a person" :nono

I just posted about that before I saw your post. I truly cannot believe that man. I need to find his email address. I just posted about that before I saw your post. I truly cannot believe that man. I need to find his email address. Apparently he does not know the definition of integrity because he does not have any either when he let that statement out of his mouth. This just sickens me.

 

[10isfan]

Simon is not at all articulate. Is he really the best the WTA could hire for the job? Not only is he spouting ridiculous statements, he is doing so in a manner that makes me question his skill in the use of the English language.

Let's see what ITF says this week. Pova must be having a heart attack awaiting her fate. A ban of less than a year will anger a bunch of people.

 

[Front242]

And by a bunch you mean a few continents

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Sharapova is the most famous Women Athlete (including all sports) and #18 if you consider men also. Espn released the top 100 famous Athletes list. Nine tennis players made it into the list.

#5 Federer
#10 Rafa
#16 Novak
#18 Meldopova
#25 Serena
#31 Andy
#41 Sania Mirza
#47 Kei
#74 Venus

You can use the filters to select famous players in a particular sport or a specific gender or from a specific country.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

It looks like the TADA does not want to release the verdict when tennis is on the news due to the final stages of RG16 as there will be more attention paid to the verdict. It appears that the verdict will be announced sometime next week only and most probably on Wednesday.

I think this means, Maria is getting away with less punishment (but still it will be at least six months). Let us see what happens.

 

[10isfan]

Is it not ITF making the announcement, not WADA? Wise decision to wait until next week so the winners of FO can bask in the limelight before the ruckus begins when the length of ban is made known.
Whatever the verdict, there will be an outcry.