Sharapova to learn doping appeal verdict today

LAUSANNE – The world's top sports court will rule Tuesday on Maria Sharapova's appeal against her two-year tennis ban over doping. In a statement, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland, said the verdict will be issued at 3:00 p.m. (1300 GMT). The 29-year-old Russian tested positive for the banned medication meldonium during January's Australian Open. In a severe blow to her reputation, the infringement was revealed in March. The product had just been added to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) list on Jan. 1. The ruling had initially been expected in July, with Sharapova hoping to be reinstated in time for the Rio Games. But both Sharapova's camp and the International Tennis Federation, which imposed the ban, needed further time in preparing their case. The five-time Grand Slam winner said she had been taking the substance for 10 years to help treat illnesses, a heart issue and a magnesium deficiency. She also claimed it had entirely escaped her attention that the product had been added to the banned substance list. Brownlee laughs off TUE leak Double Olympic triathlon champion Alistair Brownlee was among the latest batch of athletes to have their therapeutic use exemptions (TUEs) leaked Monday, with the Briton explaining the drug he used in 2013 was to treat altitude sickness. In the sixth tranche of personal records released by hackers at the group called Fancy Bears, Brownlee was revealed to have used acetazolamide, banned by WADA, on Oct. 10 and 11 2013, having been given an exemption by UK anti-doping. Brownlee said last week that he had one TUE for the drug after suffering altitude sickness while climbing Kilimanjaro and reconfirmed that in a tweet on Monday. Brownlee, who was widely praised for his sportsmanship after stopping to help stricken brother Jonathan over the line in the final Triathlon World Series event of the season last month, made reference to the event in a second tweet. "Slightly embarrassing that someone as fit as me suffered from altitude sickness but thankfully @jonny_brownlee was there to carry me," he wrote. Australian swimmer Emily Seebohm, the multi world and Olympic medalist who has previously been in hospital due to asthma, was also on the latest list that showed she had used prednisolone, a common treatment for the condition.