Maria Sharapova failed drug test: Watch the Russian tennis star admit she tested positive for meldonium

Sharapova held a press conference on Monday to reveal that she tested positive for the banned substance meldonium during the Australian Open in January

Maria Sharapova is facing a lengthy ban from tennis after revealing she has tested positive for the banned substance meldonium, having taken the drug for the past 10 years.

Sharapova tested positive for meldonium during the Australian Open in January, with the World Anti-Doping Agency [Wada] adding it to their banned substances list on 1 January 2016 after finding “evidence of its use by athletes with the intention of enhancing performance”.

Sharapova stresses that she used the drug legally until the start of this year, where she failed to read the updated banned substances sent to her by Wada that would have shown her that meldonium had been outlawed.

The 28-year-old Russian says that she took the drug to help with health issues that she has suffered from throughout her career. “I had several health issues going on at the time,” the former world No 1 said. “I was getting sick very often and I had a deficiency in magnesium, irregular [electrocardiogram] results and a family history of diabetes, with the first signs of diabetes. That is one of the medications, along with several others, that I had received.”

But she did accept “full responsibility” for the failed drug test and admitted that she was prepared for the consequences, with the International Tennis Federation [ITF] confirming that she had been provisionally suspended effective from 12 March.

“Throughout my long career I have been very open and honest about many things and I take great responsibility and professionalism in my job every single day and I made a huge mistake. I let my fans down. I let the sport down I have been playing since the age of four and I love so deeply.

“I know with this I face consequences and I don't want to end my career this way and I really hope I will be given another chance to play this game.”

Sharapova now faces up to a two-year ban and could be forced to stand before an independent tribunal, although Wada president, Craig Reedie, last night suggested that a one-year ban normally applied for athletes found guilty of using meldonium.