Social media outrage on Maria Sharapova drug test fail
Sharapova, 28, tested positive for meldonium, a substance she has been taking since 2006 for health issues.
The five-time Grand Slam champion is provisionally suspended from 12 March pending further action.
Sharapova said that she recently received a letter saying she had failed a drug test at the Australian Open.
The Russian champion, has not competed since she lost to Serena Williams in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open in January, and has struggled with a series of injuries in recent years.
"I take full responsibility for it," she said. "I made a huge mistake. I let my fans down. I let my sport down," she said.
The sportswear company, Nike, announced that it was halting its relationship with the player until the investigation is complete.
Twitter fans out-cry on the matter:
The former US player Jennifer Capriati tweeted
Im extremely angry and disappointed. I had to lose my career and never opted to cheat no matter what.i had to throw in the towel and suffer
— Jennifer Capriati (@JenCapriati) March 7, 2016
Wow. Classy of @MariaSharapova to hold a press conference for this and admit making a mistake. Definitely agree that have to be aware though
— James Blake (@JRBlake) March 7, 2016
British Tennis Player Alex Ward:
Whole tennis world currently googling meldonium
— Alex Ward (@AlexWard1990) March 7, 2016
Hold on. This is weird.
— Andrew Castle (@AndrewCastle63) March 7, 2016
Wada issue their list of banned substances and you don't look? Nor do management? #Sharapova
Then this is what Piers Morgan had to say:
Hmmmmmmmmmm.
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 7, 2016
https://t.co/CsO6MqJR16
WADA published its 2016 banned substance list on September 29, 2015. Took me 2 seconds to search for Meldonium. https://t.co/THmeph2zhr
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 7, 2016