Maria Sharapova’s multi-million dollar business empire has plunged into turmoil as sponsors began severing ties with the Russian tennis star on Tuesday, a day after she admitted failing a drug test.
Maria Sharapova’s multi-million dollar business empire has plunged into turmoil as sponsors began severing ties with the Russian tennis star on Tuesday, a day after she admitted failing a drug test.
The world’s richest sportswoman announced on Monday that she had tested positive for Meldonium, a drug she said she had been taking since 2006 but was only added to the banned list this year.
Her sponsors were quick to react with Nike, Porsche and TAG Heuer all halting their relationship with the former world number one.
The 28-year-old, whose rags-to-riches story was the stuff of Hollywood dreams, now risks a ban which could see her marketing strategy collapse.
However, Russian tennis chief Shamil Tarpishchev expects Ms Sharapova to represent her country at this year’s Olympics in Brazil despite being provisionally suspended from the game. -"I think this is just a load of nonsense,-" Tarpishchev said in an interview.
