MOSCOW: International Tennis Federation banned Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova for two years after positive testing of banned meldonium in Australia.
The ban was imposed on doping tests taken on January 26 by World Anti-Doping Agency.
ITF wanted to impose four years ban but an independent tribunal claimed that use of drug was not intentional, so the maximum limit of punishment could be two years.
Sharapova decided to appeal in Court of Arbitration against the ban as she was not using the drug with a purpose to enhance performance.
“Today with their decision of a two year suspension, the ITF tribunal unanimously concluded that what I did was not intentional,” she said.
“While the tribunal concluded correctly that I did not intentionally violate the anti-doping rules, I cannot accept an unfairly harsh two-year suspension,” she added.