[Courtesy of Maria Sharapova's official homepage]
Maria Sharapova lost three major endorsements after the tennis star admitted that she had failed the drug test at January’s Australian Open. Nike, Tag Heuer, and Porsche were the companies which severed ties with Sharapova.
Nike, Sharapova’s sponsor, announced on Tuesday, "We are saddened and surprised by the news about Maria Sharapova. We have decided to suspend our relationship with Maria while the investigation continues. We will continue to monitor the situation.” The company’s spokesperson said.
Swiss luxury watch brand Tag Heuer followed with a statement that the company had decided not to renew endorsement contract with Sharapova, which expired at the end of 2015. Volkswagen-owned Porsche also said on Tuesday that the company will postpone any planned activities with Sharapova until further details are released and the situation is analyzed.
Sharapova spoke during a press conference on Monday that she had been taking meldonium for nearly ten years because of her family history of diabetes, magnesium deficiency, and heart conditions. Meldonium is a Latvian-manufactured drug widely used in Soviet Union countries to fight heart disease, but due to the substance enhancing blood oxygen circulation which could increase endurance, it is banned by WADA.
Several cases of meldonium positive results were found during tests taken in January. Russian cyclist Eduard Vorganov, Russian figure skater Ekaterina Bobrova, and two Ukrainian biathletes were tested positive for the substance.
International Tennis Federation did not speak on what kind of charges Sharapova would face. Her penalties could vary from a multiyear ban to a minimal sanction with no suspension depending on whether the officials believe she made a mistake in taking meldonium.
Maria Sharapova is a Russian pro tennis player, who is ranked sixth in the world rankings. The tennis star is also famous for her modeling career. She modeled in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and appeared in many advertisements including Nike, and Canon.
아주경제 박세진 기자 = swatchsjp@ajunews.com
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
