You Won’t See Maria Sharapova Promoting A Porsche Any Time Soon

It’s looking like the doping scandal tennis star Maria Sharapova is embroiled in will be costly to more than just her tennis career. The former World Number 1 admitted in a press conference on Monday that she had failed a drugs test earlier in the year, and as well as facing a multi-year ban from tennis, Sharapova’s lucrative commercial contracts are now under threat.

Tag Heuer has announced that it won’t be renewing her contract, while Nike - a company she signed a $70 million, eight year contract with in 2010 - has suspended its relationship with the 28-year-old Russian. Porsche has done the same, stating that its deal with Sharapova - which started in 2013 - will be suspended “until further details are released and we can analyze the situation.” Given that it was a three year deal she signed in 2013, it’s highly likely her contract won’t be renewed.

The drug at the centre of all this is Meldonium, which Sharapova says she’s been taking for the last 10 years due to a magnesium deficiency and a family history of diabetes. However, the substance made it on to the banned list for the first time this year, as evidence shows that it has been used as a performance enhancing drug by athletes.