MOSCOW, October 4. /TASS/. German cars manufacturer Porsche intends to discuss with Maria Sharapova renewal of its sponsorship contract after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled to reduce the ban term of the Russian tennis star, the German company said in its statement addressed to TASS on Tuesday.
Porsche put on hold its sponsorship contract with Sharapova after she was accused earlier in the year of taking banned performance enhancing drug meldonium. The Swiss-based CAS ruled earlier in the day to reduce Sharapova’s suspension term, which entered into force on January 26, from 24 to 15 months. Sharapova is now eligible to officially return back to tennis courts starting April 26 next year.
- Olympic Champion Vesnina says Maria Sharapova’s absence on court is 'negative for tennis'
- Sharapova hopes ITF will draw conclusions after CAS ruling on her appeal
- Russian Olympic chief hopes Sharapova will return to tennis elite, play at 2020 Games
- CAS reduces Sharapova’s suspension term — Russian tennis chief
"We have taken note of the recently announced final CAS judgment in the case of Maria Sharapova," a statement from the press service of the company said. "We welcome the CAS verdict and are delighted for Maria."
"We have been and still are in close contact with her and, as we have always stressed, have only put our mutual activities on hold over the past months until the final verdict is known," according to the statement from Porsche. "No contracts have been terminated. We will be discussing a future collaboration over the next days and weeks."
Sharapova's contract with Nike
US sports outfit and gear manufacturer Nike hopes to renew with Maria Sharapova its sponsorship contract after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled earlier in the day to reduce the suspension term of the Russian tennis star, the American company said in its statement addressed to TASS on Tuesday.
Nike has also put on hold its sponsorship contract with Sharapova in early March after she was accused of taking banned performance enhancing drug meldonium.
"We are pleased that Maria will be back playing the sport she loves in April and look forward to partnering with her and enjoying her continued success on and off the court," the press service of the famous American sports goods manufacturer told TASS.
On June 9, Sharapova filed an appeal with the CAS in Switzerland’s Lausanne against her two-year suspension, which was officially confirmed on June 8 by the International Tennis Federation’s (ITF) Tribunal over anti-doping violations.
Due to the imposed ban world’s former No. 1 Sharapova had to miss the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, held in August in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro.
In early March, Sharapova announced that her doping tests revealed the presence of performance enhancing drug meldonium in the body system. Following the announcement, former World’s No. 1 was provisionally suspended from all tennis-related activities.
Mildronate is a cardiovascular preparation freely available for purchase at pharmacies across Russia without a doctor’s prescription.