How did she get away with it? Samantha Stosur slams Maria Sharapova’s reduced drug ban
Australian player says the decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport sets a bad precedent after the Russian’s two-year suspension was cut to 15 months
Australian star Samantha Stosur said she was surprised by the decision to reduce Maria Sharapova’s ban for testing positive for banned substance meldonium, saying it was remarkable that the Russian was able to get away with it.
Five-time grand slam champion Sharapova tested positive in January and was slapped with a two-year ban by the International Tennis Federation. On Tuesday, the Court of Arbitration for Sport cut the ban to 15 months, which means she can return to the circuit in April.
Sharapova had been using the drug – taken to treat a lack of blood flow to parts of the body – since 2005 while it was legal and said she didn’t realise meldonium had been placed on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s banned list at the start of 2016.
“I can’t believe it actually,” said Stosur on Friday at Victoria Park, where she will be taking part in the Prudential Hong Kong Open starting on Saturday. “I think it ... I don’t even know what to say.
“I don’t know how you can get away with that excuse [that she didn’t know it was banned], and have that [two-year ban] overturned. I think it’s remarkable that you can use that excuse and get away with it.
“It really sets a bad precedence for athletes moving forward where you can almost put your hands up and say it was not my fault.”