Maria Sharapova was "reckless beyond description"
and can have no excuses for her failed drug test, according to former World
Anti-Doping Agency chief Dick Pound.
On Monday, Sharapova revealed at a press conference in Los
Angeles that she had returned a positive test for meldonium, a substance
she had been taking legally taken for 10 years to deal with health issues such
as an irregular heartbeat and a history of diabetes in her family, but which
was added to the WADA banned list at the start of 2016.
The 28-year-old is now waiting to hear what sanctions she
will face from the International Tennis Federation, who informed the payer of
her positive test on March 2 and confirmed she would be provisionally suspended
from March 12 pending an independent tribunal to hear the case.
"Running a $30m (£21m) business depends on you staying
eligible to play tennis. You are taking something on a list, which you have
known about for four months. I am sorry, that is a big mistake - of course she
should have known," Pound told the BBC.
"She is taking something that is not generally
permitted in her country of residence (the United States) for medical purposes,
so she says, so there must be a doctor following this."
Meldonium was added to banned list following, according to
WADA, "evidence of its use by athletes with the intention of enhancing
performance".
Sharapova claimed she had not read the updated list of
banned substances sent to athletes in December and took "full
responsibility" for her actions.
Pound added: "Any time there is a change to the list,
notice is given on 30 September prior to the change. You have October,
November, December to get off what you are doing.
"All the tennis players were given notification of it
and she has a medical team somewhere. That is reckless beyond
description."
