Maria Sharapova's racket sponsor Head announced it intends to extend its contract "with her following her failed drugs test," according to Ben Rumsby of the London TELEGRAPH. The sportswear company said that Sharapova had "earned the benefit of the doubt" for being caught taking performance-enhancing substance meldonium, "despite the former Wimbledon champion facing a ban of up to four years." Nike, Porsche and TAG Heuer all either "suspended or ended their multi-million pound contracts with the world’s most rich and famous female athlete after she admitted failing a drugs test at the Australian Open." Head, which also supplies Andy Murray's rackets, said in a statement, "Head is proud to stand behind Maria, now and into the future and we intend to extend her contract" (TELEGRAPH, 3/10). In London, Martyn Ziegler reported it is the first of the 28-year-old Russian's sponsors to "come out in her support." Head Chair Johan Eliasch confirmed in a statement that the company "had the right to terminate its deal due to the positive finding but instead would extend her contract" which she signed in '11. Eliasch said, "We know that for more than a decade, Maria Sharapova has been a role model and woman of integrity who has inspired millions of fans around the world to play and watch tennis. ... Maria may have made a mistake, but she has earned the benefit of the doubt and we are extending it to her." Eliasch said that the company "fully believed Sharapova's story that she took meldonium, a drug also known as mildronate, to treat medical conditions." Eliasch: "In the absence of any evidence of any intent by Maria of enhancing her performance or trying to gain an unfair advantage through the use of mildronate, we further conclude this falls into the category of 'honest' mistakes" (LONDON TIMES, 3/10). The AP reported Eliasch said that Sharapova was "taking meldonium in such low doses that the drug could not possibly have had a stimulating effect on her performance." According to Eliasch, it "is common ground within the scientific community" that for meldonium to provide "any relevant performance enhancing effect it has to be taken in daily dosages in excess of 1,000 to 2,000mg" (AP, 3/10). In London, Mike Dickson reported Eliasch also confirmed that he had not informed the likes of other athletes Head endorses such as Novak Djokovic or Murrary, "the latter of whom is particularly outspoken on the subject of doping," before issuing his statement. Eliasch: "I think I have just been doing the right thing. This is to analyze the situation and form a view based on facts and not a knee jerk reaction. It is up to others what they do. In my view this is something that happened to her because she has a medical condition, it was an honest mistake. I would like to see her teaching tennis to kids for three months, that would be an appropriate thing" (DAILY MAIL, 3/10). In a separate story, Dickson wrote that Murray "criticized" Head for extending the sponsorship, saying he was "puzzled" the company "would go out on a limb when so many questions were unanswered." Murray: "I think at this stage it's important to get hold of the facts and let things play out, like more information coming out before making a decision to extend the contract. Personally, I wouldn't have responded like that" (DAILY MAIL, 3/10).
