Maria Sharapova’s path back to respectability got a little less stoney on Wednesday when she was informed the International Tennis Federation had joined the World Anti-Doping Agency in declining to challenge her appeal against her two-year ban.
The court of arbitration for sport will hear her appeal no later than 18 July – just in time for the former world No1 to make the Russian Olympic team for Rio 2016, starting 5 August, if she is exonerated.
That is no given but her legal advisers have told her the ITF’s decision means there will at least be no extension of the original sanction for failing a drugs test for the banned meldonium at the Australian Open in January.
“Both Wada and the ITF have informed me that they will not be filing an appeal of the ITF tribunal’s decision,” Sharapova’s lawyer, John Haggerty, said. “We have appealed and look forward to the Cas tribunal hearing our appeal, and are hopeful that Maria’s suspension will be reduced.”
