Maria Sharapova Failed Drug Test At Australian Open

Tennis star Maria Sharapova has announced in a press conference that she failed a drug test at the Australian Open.

"I failed the test and I take full responsibility for it," she said.

Sharapova said the drug (mildronate), she has been taking for 10 years, became listed prohibited on January 1 and she wasn't aware.

The five-time grand slam winner now faces a potential ban from the game.

"For the past 10 years I have been given a medicine called mildronate by my family doctor and a few days ago after I received the ITF letter I found out that it also has another name of meldonium which I did not know," she said.

"It is very important for you to understand that for 10 years this medicine was not on WADA's banned list and I had legally been taking the medicine for the past 10 years.

"But on January 1st the rules had changed and meldonium became a prohibited substance which I had not known."

Sharapova said this is not how she wants her career to end and will fight on.

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