MOSCOW — The head of the Russian Tennis Federation says Maria Sharapova’s failed doping test could spell the end of her career.
He backtracked hours later, saying he did not mean to suggest that Sharapova’s failed doping test could spell the end of her career.
Shamil Tarpishchev told Russian news agency R-Sport that Sharapova’s situation is “bad” and that it is “very doubtful” that she will resume her career.
“I only said that she can’t play now because no ruling on her case has been issued,” Tarpishchev told the Tass news agency.
Tarpishchev had previously forecast that Sharapova could return to competition in time to lead the Russian team at the Olympics in August. It was not immediately clear what prompted his change of view.
Sharapova tested positive for meldonium at the Australian Open in January. She said she had taken the drug for a decade for medical purposes and did not know it had been banned for 2016.
In March, Sharapova said she was “determined to play tennis again.”
The International Tennis Federation (ITF) provisionally suspended Sharapova on 12 March.
She is waiting to hear the full extent of her punishment, which could be as much as a four-year ban, although experts say a six-month or 12-month suspension is more likely.
That is because the World Anti-Doping Association (WADA) admitted in April that scientists were unsure how long meldonium stayed in the system.
It even suggested athletes who tested positive for the substance before 1 March could avoid bans, provided they had stopped taking it before Jan 1.
However, Sharapova has already admitted she continued taking meldonium past that date, saying she was unaware it had been added to the banned list as she knew it by another name - mildronate.
Meldonium is used to treat ischaemia: a lack of blood flow to parts of the body, particularly in cases of angina or heart failure.
It is manufactured in Latvia and only distributed in Baltic countries and Russia. It is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in the United States and is not authorized in the rest of Europe.
It increases blood flow, which improves exercise capacity in athletes.
