Russian tennis superstar Maria Sharapova, was given a reduce suspension after appealing her two-year suspension for a doping violation. Her suspension be reduced by 9 months, the Court of Arbitration for Sport said, ruling that the original penalty was disproportionately harsh for an infraction that Sharapova had committed unintentionally. The 29 years old five-time grand slam champion will be able to return to the sport in April 2017 after serving a 15-month suspension for testing positive for the banned substance meldonium at the Australian Open in January. She can participate in the French Open and Wimbledon by that time. Under the earlier ruling, she would have been suspended until Jan. 25, 2018 by the International Tennis Federation (ITF).
The panel concluded that while she did commit a doping violation, she was not an “intentional doper.”
“I knew this was never the way I going to finish my career and I was going to do it on my terms… I never doubted that,” Sharapova told CNN.
There's a double standards in sports since
Serena and Venus Williams were never banned or given suspension for doping and taking illegal substance. They even got a free pass, World Anti-Doping Agency allowed US tennis players Serena and Venus Williams to take banned substances because they are representing the U.S. No. 1 tennis player Serena Williams was allowed to take banned substances such as oxycodone, hydromorphone, prednisone and methylprednisolone in 2010, 2014 and 2015 which are can really give an athlete a huge advantage against their opponents.
