LONDON (AP) — Isiniwalat ni dating World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) president Dick Pound na hindi lamang si Maria Sharapova ang tennis player na gumagamit ng “meldonium” at hindi ito lingid sa kaalaman ng International Tennis Federation (ITF).
Ipinahayag ni Pound sa panayam ng Associated Press na mismong ang ITF ang humingi ng tulong sa WADA para masuri at mabantayan ang “meldonium” matapos makitaan ng naturang droga ang maraming tennis player sa kanilang drug test sa nakalipas na taon.
“Clearly, within the tennis circle at least, they were aware that a lot of the players were using it (meldonium) and said that there must be something to this, so they referred it to the WADA list committee,” pahayag ni Pound.
Ngunit, sa kasalukuyan si Sharapova pa lamang ang tennis player na nagpositibo sa nasabing droga.
Mismong ang five-time Grand Slam champion ang nagkumpirma na bumagsak siya sa doping test na isinagawa sa Australian Open sa unang linggo ng Enero. Opisyal na ipinagbawal ng WADA ang naturang droga nitong Enero 1.
Sa datos ng British Journal of Sports Medicine, napag-alaman na 490 atleta ang nasuri na gumagamit ng meldonium sa isinagawang drug-test sa nakalipas na European Games sa Baku, Azerbaijan. Hindi pa banned ang naturang gamot noong panahong iyon.
Ayon kay Pound, guilty of “willful negligence” si Sharapova.
“An athlete at that level has to know that there will be tests, has to know that whatever she or he is taking is not on the list, and it was willful negligence to miss that,” sambit ni Pound. “She was warned in advance I gather. The WADA publication is out there. She didn’t pay any attention to it. The tennis association issued several warnings, none of which she apparently read.”
“I am sorry, if you are running a $30 million a year sole enterprise you better make sure the basis for that commercial success, if nothing else, remains unassailable,” ayon kay Pound.
Aniya, nahaharap sa hanggang apat na taong suspensiyon si Sharapova at mababawasan lamang ang haba nito depende sa magiging resulta ng ginagawang imbestigasyon ng ITF.
Sa kasalukuyan, umatras na sa kanilang sponsorship ang giant apparel Nike, luxury car Porsche, Avian water at luxury watch brand na Tag Heuer bunsod ng kontrobersyal na kinasangkutan ng itinuturing na pinakamayamang babaeng atleta sa mundo.