Tennis star Maria Sharapova of Russia has criticized the International Tennis Federation (ITF) for not doing enough to make her aware in-time that “meldonium” had been added to the list of banned substances last year.

Maria Sharapova
Maria Sharapova

 

Five time Grand Slam Champion Sharapova’s initial two-year suspension was reduced to 15 months after she tested positive at the 2016 Australian Open for meldonium, a medication which she had been taking within the rules but which was then reclassified as a banned drug.

Meldonium was added to the World Anti-Doping Agency list of banned substances at the start of 2016 after mounting evidence that it boosted blood flow and enhanced performance.

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