But the International Tennis Federation returned the shot Thursday, essentially saying Sharapova is using revisionist history in her criticism of the ITF’s handling of her ban for using the prohibited drug meldonium.
In an interview with PBS, Sharapova was asked whether the ITF was trying to make an example of her, as a former world No. 1, five-time major winner and the world’s highest-earning sportswoman.
“I never wanted to believe that, but I am starting to think that,” she said. “I got a 24-month suspension, but they [the ITF] wanted four years for me.”
Sharapova was cleared Tuesday by the Court of Arbitration for Sport to return to action in April after her two-year suspension was reduced to 15 months.
The administrator of the Tennis Anti-Doping Program denied it had sought a four-year ban for Sharapova and, in a statement, rejected suggestions by the Russian that its independent tribunal was “not neutral.”
The ITF also emphasized it had not known, prior to this year when the drug was put on the banned list, that meldonium was in common use by eastern European athletes.
Sharapova, 29, also has said other sports federations had been more effective at communicating with athletes and hoped the ITF would take note.
Her lawyer John Haggerty described the ITF’s procedure for relaying rule changes as a “night and day difference” to the “vivid and direct warnings” from others.
“The ITF did not try to ban Ms. Sharapova for four years, as has been suggested,” the tennis governing body said. “The ITF stated clearly that it was the responsibility of the Independent Tribunal — and subsequently the CAS Panel — to determine what the appropriate sanction should be.
“Ms. Sharapova has stated that the Independent Tribunal was ‘not neutral,'” it added. “Ms. Sharapova’s legal team was given the opportunity to object to the appointment of any member of that Tribunal in advance of the hearing, and they agreed in writing that they had no such objection.
“It was accepted by Ms. Sharapova in the hearing before CAS that the ITF did not know before 2016 about the extent to which meldonium was used by athletes from any region, or that Ms. Sharapova herself was using meldonium.”
Sharapova returns to the court for the first time since her doping ban was reduced when she makes her World Team Tennis Smash Hits debut next week in Las Vegas.
WTT announced Wednesday that Sharapova will play in the charity event, co-hosted by Billie Jean King and Elton John, on Monday at Caesars Palace.
Sharapova says she’s “really excited to get back on the court for a great cause.” She joins a field that includes John McEnroe, Andy Roddick and Martina Navratilova. The event will be shown live on ESPN2.
With Reuters and AP
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