HEAD TENNIS, Maria Sharapova’s racket manufacturer, has congratulated the Russian star on winning her doping appeal and said it is proud to have stuck by her during ‘these difficult times.’
The 29-year-old had tested positive for the banned medication meldonium during January’s Australian Open.
But in a statement, the company’s CEO Johan Eliasch said that it was ‘wholly unfair’ for Sharapova to be banned from playing competitive tennis while ‘not actively engaging in any behaviours that could be considered cheating.’
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HEAD, which is a Dutch sports equipment and clothing company and also supply Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic among others, were the only sponsor to continue their support for Sharapova after she tested positive at the start of this year.
Nike, Tag Heuer and Porsche had all moved quickly to distance themselves from the tennis star.
Sharapova hailed the reduction of her two-year doping ban as one of the “happiest days” of her life, immediately targeting a return to action in April 2017.
“I’ve gone from one of the toughest days of my career last March, when I learned about my suspension, to now, one of my happiest days, as I found out I can return to tennis in April,” she said.
'Justice being served': Sharapova's sponsor widely-criticised for congratulatory statement
HEAD TENNIS, Maria Sharapova’s racket manufacturer, has congratulated the Russian star on winning her doping appeal and said it is proud to have stuck by her during ‘these difficult times.’
Sharapova, a five-time Grand Slam winner and former world number one, this afternoon had her two-year doping ban reduced to 15 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The 29-year-old had tested positive for the banned medication meldonium during January’s Australian Open.
But in a statement, the company’s CEO Johan Eliasch said that it was ‘wholly unfair’ for Sharapova to be banned from playing competitive tennis while ‘not actively engaging in any behaviours that could be considered cheating.’
HEAD, which is a Dutch sports equipment and clothing company and also supply Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic among others, were the only sponsor to continue their support for Sharapova after she tested positive at the start of this year.
Nike, Tag Heuer and Porsche had all moved quickly to distance themselves from the tennis star.
Sharapova hailed the reduction of her two-year doping ban as one of the “happiest days” of her life, immediately targeting a return to action in April 2017.
“I’ve gone from one of the toughest days of my career last March, when I learned about my suspension, to now, one of my happiest days, as I found out I can return to tennis in April,” she said.
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Court of Arbitration for Sport reduces Maria Sharapova’s two-year doping ban
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