Instant reaction to Maria Sharapova's failed drug test

     On Monday, Maria Sharapova admitted at a press conference in Los Angeles that she failed a drug test at the Australian Open. The drug she tested positive for is Meldonium, a drug that can help improve an athlete's stamina and blood flow. While Maria Sharapova claims that she has been using the drug for the past 10 years for what is implied to be medical purposes, it turns out that a person given the drug as a prescription is typically prescribed to use it for 4-6 weeks. So, it sounds like her story of using it for 10 years for medical purposes is a lie.

     The big question that we must ask in light of all of this is how should we view Maria Sharapova? Should we view her as a cheater who has gained an unfair advantage over opponents to win grand slams? Should we view her as a human being who made a mistake? Or something in the middle? Certainly some of her biggest sponsors, one of which is Nike, have made their opinions known by no longer affiliating themselves with the Russian tennis star.

     But, just because it makes sense for a business to cut ties from Maria Sharapova doesn't mean that tennis fans, analysts, and players should also proceed to throw her under the bus. Those who are directly involved in the game of tennis shouldn't be quick to declare her a cheater and shun her from a sport that she has done a lot to grow. The bottom line is that while tennis has done a lot of good for Maria Sharapova, Maria Sharapova in turn has a done a lot of good for the game of tennis. She has inspired thousands of young girls to learn the sport, she has been a classy player for her entire career, and she has also proudly represented her native country of Russia at the Olympics.

     Until Monday, Maria Sharapova has maintained a clean image and hasn't made any major mistakes. However, we live in a world that now knows about her failed drug test and with that information now being known, we have to decide for ourselves what we think her legacy should be. She will be suspended effective March 12, but the duration of the suspension is not yet known. It is certainly possible that the length of the suspension may have a huge effect on how we perceive her. If she is given a six-month suspension, odds are good this all blows over in time. If on the other hand she is given a multi-year suspension, her legacy and image could be tarnished for good.

     Ultimately, I ask people to be careful being overly critical of Maria Sharapova. For one thing, Meldonium wasn't added to the World Anti-Doping Agency's list of banned substances until January 1, 2016. To say that she's been cheating all these years when she actually wasn't is absurd to say. Secondly, it is entirely possible that she was unaware of it being added to the banned list, which while making her negligent and irresponsible, it doesn't necessarily make her a cheater. Third, she has overall been a positive figure for the sport of tennis and to throw all of that away because of one failed drug test seems cruel and harsh.

     While it is certainly fair to criticize her and hold her responsible for her actions, it is not necessarily fair to suddenly treat her like a cheater. She made a mistake and to her credit, she owned up to that mistake in front of the entire world. We need to not forget that and also remember that if we made a similar mistake, we too would hope for some forgiveness and compassion.