After admitting to failing a drug test on Monday, Nike has cut their ties with Maria Sharapova for now
We knew heading into Monday that we were getting an announcement from one of the biggest tennis stars on the planet, Maris Sharapova, but we just didn’t know what it was. When the announcement was made, however, it was something that really none of us saw coming.
With many expecting maybe a potential retirement announcement, that was the furthest thing from what we got. Sharapova got in front of the media and announced that she had failed a drug test at the Australian Open, testing positive for meldonium, a drug that she had been taking since 2006 for health issues.
It was a noble thing to do for Sharapova to get up in front of everyone and take responsibility for her actions, but that means consequences are still on the way. One of them dropped Monday night when Nike announced that they would be suspending their relationship with the female tennis star.
BREAKING: Nike suspends relationship with Maria Sharapova after the tennis star said she failed a drug test. pic.twitter.com/F262QdNcs7
— CNBC Now (@CNBCnow) March 8, 2016
Well, things like this are to be expected after what took place. While Sharapova is chalking this all up to one big mistake and she’s owning it, failing a drug test is something that the folks at Nike simply don’t put up with.
It will be interesting to see in the coming days and weeks what other sponsorships Sharapova loses because of this incident.