Maria Sharapova deserves a second chance : Boris Becker
Boris Becker has come out in support of Maria Sharapova stating that the Russian had paid her dues with her 15-month ban and now deserves a second chance. The German also added that tennis, as a sport, deserved far more credit for how the players have managed to keep the game clean.
Following the 2016 Australian Open, Sharapova failed a drug test when banned substance meldonium was detected in one of her samples. The ITF did not twiddle their thumbs and took the bold step of suspending one of their star players for a period of two years. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), however, later reduced the sentence by nine months making the Russian available for the upcoming 2017 French Open.
Becker, a six-time Grand Slam champion, has said that Sharapova has already suffered enough and should be allowed to compete again.
"In principal, I am all for a second chance," Becker said at the Laureus World Sports Awards in Monaco, reported Reuters.
"She (Sharapova) paid her dues, she was suspended for quite a long time. I don't know about the reaction of the other players, it's up to them.
"Everyone has their own choice. Hopefully, the atmosphere (inside the locker room) will be good. We can move on and have good women's champions," he added.
Maybe it speaks volumes of the system because a high-profile player like Sharapova was caught.
29-year-old Sharapova, who is facing the last few years of her competitive career, had called the original ruling "unfairly harsh" citing that the World Anti-Doping Agency had included meldonium into the list of banned substances only at the start of the 2016 season.
Becker added that Sharapova's suspension gave tennis the identity of being a clean sport as they were not afraid to suspend one of the most popular players on the tour.
"I think most tennis players are responsible. If you see in the men's side there is no one inside the top 100 (that isn't clean) and in the women's side -- I think Maria is the exception -- all of the other tennis players are clean," Becker added.
"Tennis is an Olympic sport so the tests are very severe and strong and the penalties are strong. I think the system works. Maybe it speaks volumes of the system because a high-profile player like Sharapova was caught."
While many would be pleased to see the Russian back on the court, it is important to realize the repercussions of slashing her original ban. It just tells players that even if they are caught doping, an easy pass could be in order as long as they make enough money for the sport. As far as Becker's idea of the "clean sport" is concerned, tennis has hardly been squeaky clean, with many major players pointing out the lack of attention paid to doping in tennis.
Also Read : Why this light slap on the wrists for Sharapova means a huge blow for tennis
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