The former number 1 world champion tested positive for meldonium and will be suspended pending further action.

The Russian tennis star said: "I did fail the test and take full responsibility for it. "For the past 10 years I have been given a medicine called mildronate by my family doctor and a few days ago after I received the letter from the ITF [International Tennis Federation] I found out it also has another name of meldonium, which I did not know."

Sharapova explained that she had taken the drug for a combination of reasons, including a magnesium deficiency, an irregular electrocardiogram result, and a family history of diabetes. “It made me healthy – that’s why I continued to take it.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/mariasharapova/12186959/Maria-Sharapova-faces-four-year-ban-from-tennis-after-admitting-failed-drugs-test.html

damn. not surprising i suppose but damn.

The fact is it is one of  Latvias biggest exports and helps the cardio vascular system and seems to be predominantly sold in Russia, the funny thing was at the end of her press conference she said about retirement whilst gesturing at the floor , "I would never pick a south LA hotel with such bad looking carpet to do that".

"For the past 10 years I have been given a medicine called mildronate by my family doctor and a few days ago after I received the letter from the ITF [International Tennis Federation] I found out it also has another name of meldonium, which I did not know."

Manufacturer: 4-6 weeks normal treatment for drug in Maria Sharapova case

Also: In 2015 2.2% of athletes used Meldonium, but for Russians it was 17% (724 of 4,316)!!!

Now, does anyone remember the big doping scandal which accused the Russian Ministry of Sports of covering up doping violations? http://bigstory.ap.org/8e4ac8f10f974df79dd490e7422f4855

It wouldn't surprise me the slightest if massive amount of Russians have been taking Meldonium just to enhance their performance for the past few years. And it also wouldn't surprise me if this was a worldwide problem to some lesser extent. Why isn't every medicine suspected of enhancing performance instantly banned?

2016 is not a good year for tennis. After the match fixing scandal in January, this new revelation is gonna tarnish the sport's reputation a bit more. It's a shame because this is the only sport I truly enjoy watching.

As for Sharapova, part of me wants to believe her when she says she didn't know it was a performance enhancer but that might be due to the fact that I do enjoy watching her play.

Usually I think doping should carry a lifetime ban from the sport but I'm a bit skeptical here. It was classified as a doping medicine inly shortly ahead of Australian open and it's quite possible they missed this. Anyways, this will likely spell the end of her career and it's good at the same time that the authorities strike down hard on doping.

No. She faces a POSSIBLE 4 year ban.

So you watch tv with the sound turned down.

She admitted to use a drug that supposed to be used for 4-6 weeks for 10 years. That doesn't look good. Sounds like she was gaming the system.

Sucks to see great athletes involved in this type of problems.