Maria Sharapova sponsors Head to extend contract with star despite failed drugs test

James Benge10 March 2016

Racket manufacturer Head has committed to extending their contract with Maria Sharapova despite the world No.7 having failed a drugs test at the Australian Open.

The five-time grand slam winner has already seen leading sponsors Nike, with whom she signed a record eight-year, £50million deal in 2010, and watch maker TagHeuer distance themselves from her, with the American sportswear manufacturer suspended ties with her hours after she admitted to testing positive for meldonium.

Sharapova is the highest earning woman in sport, with her annual earnings estimated at £21m in August 2015.

Another of Sharapova’s sponsors, Evian, had confirmed they would be “closely” monitoring developments in the case.

However her racket provider has vowed to extend their current deal with Sharapova, praising her “honesty” and “courage” as she looks to return to the sport having been provisionally suspended by the International Tennis Federation.

A statement by Head confirmed: “For more than a decade Maria Sharpova has been a role model and woman of integrity who has inspired millions of fans around the world to play and watch tennis. The honesty and courage she displayed in announcing and acknowledging her mistake was admirable.

“Head is proud to stand behind Maria, now and into the future and we intend to extend her contract. We look forward to working with her and to announcing new sponsorships in the weeks and months ahead.

Maria Sharapova - In pictures

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“Maria may have made a mistake, but she has earned the benefit of the doubt and we are extending it to her. We look forward to many more years of working with Maria.”

On Monday Sharapova said she had been taking the substance for a decade as part of a treatment prescribed by a trusted family doctor. However she admitted that she had not read the World Anti-Doping Agency’s updated banned list that outlawed meldonium as of January 1 this year.

Explaining why she had been taking the substance Sharapova added: “I was first given the substance in 2006. I had several health issues going on at the time, I was getting sick very often.

“I had a deficiency in magnesium. I had irregular EKG (electrocardiogram - a test of electric activity in the heart) results and I had a family history of diabetes, with first signs of diabetes.

“This was one of the medications, along with several others, that I had received.”

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