Maria Sharapova Failed Drug Test vs Serena Williams at Australian Open 2016 Press Conference Maria Sharapova announced on Monday that she failed a drug test during this year's Australian Open. Related Stories Tennis star Sharapova faces suspension after failing drug test Reuters Things to know about Meldonium after Sharapova fails test Associated Press Tennis-Reactions to Maria Sharapova's positive dope test Reuters Profile of Russia's Maria Sharapova Reuters Doping-Swede Aregawi faces Olympic axe after failed test Reuters 25 Years Later: How The Baywatch Stars Look Today Sponsored  The Russian-born tennis star said she received a letter from the International Tennis Federation several days ago informing her that she had failed the test for meldonium during the Australian Open in January. "I did fail the test," Sharapova told reporters at a hastily arranged press conference in Los Angeles. "And I take full responsibility for it." The five-time Grand Slam champion said that she had been legally taking the drug, meldonium (also known as mildronate), as prescribed by a family doctor for a decade to combat a variety of illnesses while on tour. What is meldonium? According to the National Institutes of Health, the anti-ischemic drug meldonium "demonstrates an increase in endurance performance of athletes, improved rehabilitation after exercise, protection against stress, and enhanced activations of central nervous system functions." According to the Guardian newspaper, it is manufactured in Latvia and not approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in the United States. View galleryFILE - In this Jan. 20, 2016, file photo, Maria Sharapova, … FILE - In this Jan. 20, 2016, file photo, Maria Sharapova, of Russia, hits a forehand return to Alia … Why is it a banned substance? Due to "the growing body of evidence" concerning its misuse by athletes, the substance was added to the World Anti-Doping Agency's monitoring program in 2015. WADA scrutinized the global athlete usage of the mildronate — which was which was not previously prohibited — to determine if the rates of use indicated any potential performance-enhancing concerns, and it wound up on its banned list on Jan. 1. Sharapova said she had received an email from the ITF with an updated list of newly banned substances in December, but admitted she did not read it. In a statement released following Sharapova's press conference, WADA said the drug was added to the list of prohibited substances in 2016 "because of evidence of its use by athletes with the intention of enhancing performance." The 28-year-old, who splits time between her homes in Bradenton, Fla., and Manhattan Beach, Calif., insisted she had been prescribed mildronate to treat chronic illnesses, a magnesium deficiency and family history of diabetes. What other substances are on the banned list? In short, a lot. View galleryMaria Sharapova's ferocity on the court, business … Maria Sharapova's ferocity on the court, business acumen and glamorous looks have all combined t … Who else has been caught using it? It turns out, quite a few athletes. Russian cyclist Eduard Vorganov was suspended this month after he tested positive for the drug, which boosts oxygen supply to the blood and tissues in the body. Ukrainian biathletes Artem Tyshchenko and Olga Abramova as well as Ethiopian-born runners Abeba Aregawi and Endeshaw Negesse each tested positive for meldonium in recent weeks. Abramova was provisionally suspended in early February after testing positive for the metabolism booster. According to the AP, failed a test on Jan. 10, nine days after the drug was added to the World Anti-Doping Agency’s banned list. The IAAF announced last week that Aregawi, who now competes for Sweden, is a former 1,500-meter world champion, failed an out-of-competition doping test. View galleryRussian tennis player Maria Sharapova speaks at a press … Russian tennis player Maria Sharapova speaks at a press conference in downtown Los Angeles, Californ … And on Monday, fellow Russian athlete and Olympic gold medallist figure skater Ekaterina Bobrova also admitted to testing positive for the drug. What does this mean for Maria? Tennis officials have yet to indicate what kind of punishment Sharapova will face, but a lengthy suspension and hefty fine are possible, even likely. Sharapova — who stoked rumors of a possible retirement by calling for Monday's press conference following a withdrawal from an upcoming tournament in Indian Wells, Calif., due to injury — said she isn't sure what kind of penalty she'll receive, but hopes to return to the tour. ►Subscribe DomisLive NEWS: https://goo.gl/FIAYHv DomisLIve Main Channel: https://goo.gl/HaORTN DomisLive Twitter: https://twitter.com/Domislive DomisLive Twitch: http://www.twitch.tv/domislive DomisLive Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/Domislive-45...

• published: 08 Mar 2016
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