"Maria Sharapova should be the most pissed off" - Russian's fans furious as Iga Swiatek walks away with minor ban despite positive doping test

Maria Sharapova fans have expressed outrage and frustration over the perceived disparity in treatment between the Russian tennis star and Iga Swiatek following their respective doping scandals.

Sharapova's doping case unfolded in 2016 when she tested positive for meldonium, a heart medication that had been added to the WADA's prohibited list earlier that year. The Russian claimed she had been taking the drug for medical reasons for over a decade, unaware of the recent ban.

Following the positive test, an independent tribunal initially handed Sharapova a two-year ban but the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) later reduced her suspension to 15 months.

Despite the reduced suspension, the incident significantly impacted her career and reputation, with major sponsors like Nike temporarily suspending their partnerships. Sharapova returned to competitive tennis in 2017.

Meanwhile, it was announced on Thursday, November 28, that Iga Swiatek tested positive for trimetazidine (TMZ), a banned substance, in August. She faced an initial suspension in September that lasted for three events and has now accepted a one-month ban.

The ITIA determined that Swiatek's doping violation was unintentional after the 23-year-old explained that she was contaminated through melatonin, a non-prescription sleep aid widely available in Poland.

Many Sharapova fans on X felt that the Russian faced excessive consequences compared to Swiatek's relatively lenient punishment

"Sharapova should be the most pissed off, tbh," one fan wrote.

"She was slaughtered while everyone else now gets away with it…," another fan wrote.

"I’m truly sorry for her, and that’s why I hope something like this never happens again. You should hope for the same. Instead of seeking revenge, let’s really hope that no one ever has to endure such treatment again," a third Sharapova fan wrote.

Here are some more fans comparing the doping scandals of Maria Sharapova and Iga Swiatek.

"Every single tennis player that was suspended was “innocent” like you don’t purposefully dope look at Sharapova she was still banned for 2 years," one fan wrote.

"Sharapova is Russian. That is why she was given such a harsh treatment. Discrimination on the face," another fan wrote.

"@MariaSharapova accidentally took a banned substance. That substance was heart medication she took for 10 years before it got banned. Sharapova got banned for 15 months & Nike suspended their partnership with her. Why did Sharapova’s career get ruined but not Iga or Sinner?" yet another fan wrote.

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Iga Swiatek opens up about facing anxiety after receiving news of positive doping test

Iga Swiatek at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals (Image: Getty)

After the ITIA announced her acceptance of a one-month suspension, Iga Swiatek shared her reaction in an emotional Instagram video. She described the shock and anxiety she experienced upon learning that her doping test had returned a positive result for trimetazidine (TMZ), a substance she had never encountered before.

"On September 12 I learned that my anti-doping test sample, collected on August 12 - so, before the Cincinnati Open - tested positive. It was a blow for me, I was shocked and this whole situation made me very anxious. At first I couldn't understand how that was even possible and where it came from," Iga Swiatek said.

"It turns out testing revealed historically lowest levels of TMZ, a substance I've never heard about before. I don't think I even knew it existed, I have never encountered it, nor did people around me. So I had a strong sense of injustice and these first few weeks were very chaotic. We instantly reacted and cooperated with the ITIA," she added.

Iga Swiatek won five titles in 2024 with all of them coming in the first half of the year. Since receiving her positive tests in September, the Pole did not participate in any event till November and lost her World No. 1 spot to Aryna Sabalenka. She returned to play in the WTA Finals but was ousted in the Round Robin stage.