World No. 2 Andy Murray has added his voice to a growing number of tennis players who have spoken out in the wake of Maria Sharapova’s drug revelations. The Russian revealed in a press conference she had tested positive for meldonium, which this year became a banned substance under WADA rules.
Also read: All you need to know about Maria Sharapova and meldonium use
Speaking at a press conference ahead of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California, the Scot said he thought it was “wrong” for players to take drugs, and hit out at Head, the racquet sponsor he shares with the Russian ace, who announced that they would continue their association with Sharapova. That announcement was key considering Sharapova, the world’s highest-paid female athlete, has lost a number of her most high-profile sponsors.
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Murray expressed surprise at the racquet makers’ decision, saying he would “not have responded like that.”
“...I think it’s a strange stance given everything that’s happened the last few days,” he said. “I don’t really know what else to say on that, but that’s not something I believe. I think at this stage it’s important really to get hold of the facts and let things play out, like more information coming out before making a decision to extend the contract like that, in my view. I personally wouldn’t have responded like that,” he told reporters.
The Scot also did not entirely believe Sharapova’s claims that she had been taking meldonium for a heart condition, with the medication routinely used by patients suffering from angina. “I read that 55 athletes have failed tests for that substance since 1 January,” he said. “You just don’t expect high level athletes at the top of many sports to have heart conditions,” he said.
“I think taking a prescription drug that you don’t necessarily need, but just because it’s legal, that’s wrong, clearly. That’s wrong. If you’re taking a prescription drug and you’re not using it for what that drug was meant for, then you don’t need it, so you’re just using it for the performance enhancing benefits that drug is giving you. And I don’t think that that’s right,” he continued, saying that whether or not the drug was strictly ‘illegal’ was immaterial; but it was unethical to supplement one’s sporting performance with them.
He also cast aspersions on Sharapova’s team, following the Russian’s claims that she had neglected to open five emails WADA had sent athletes warning them of their revised rules and lists of banned substances. It is a question that has come up frequently, with several doubts cast on why nobody from her medical team, physiotherapists or management noticed what are said to be repeated warnings from the anti-doping agency.
“Some people put a lot of trust in the team around them so it’s hard to say what’s the right thing for everyone but it’s almost kind of part of her job to know everything that’s going into her body and not just rely on what a doctor is saying or a physio is saying,” he said. “You check yourself to make sure, double check to make sure, that anything that’s going into your body is safe.“
Murray has himself never been accused of doping, and told reporters that he does not take any dietary supplements barring protein shakes. He brought into question the regularity of testing that tennis players undergo, saying it was “clearly not enough.”
Other tennis players speak
World No. 1 Serena Williams and tennis legend Martina Navratilova spoke out in support of the star, while Rafael Nadal called for her to be ‘punished.’
The most scathing criticism of Sharapova, however, came from American former World No. 1 Jennifer Capriati, who went on a Twitter rant against the Russian for two days, and alleging Sharapova’s “money” and “team of doctors” had helped her circumvent rules and regulations.
The ruling on Sharapova’s ban will be revealed on the 12th of March, with her team widely expected to appeal for a TUE (therapeutic use exemption) for meldonium.
