Dick Pound slams Sharapova as "reckless beyond description"
The former head of the World Anti-Doping Agency didn't hold his tongue when asked about the Russian player's use of meldonium by the BBC.
In an interview with BBC Sport, the former president of the World Anti-Doping Agency, Dick Pound stated that he finds Maria Sharapova’s failed drug test “reckless beyond description”. According to the American, the five-time Grand Slam champion had been repeatedly told meldonium, a substance she had been using for a decade, was going to be added to the banned list on 1 January 2016.
Speaking to the British broadcaster, Pound considered the ramifications of Monday’s announcement will have on the Russian’s many business interests: "Running a $30m business depends on you staying eligible to play tennis". The once Wada chief went on to say that Sharapova “made a big mistake and should have known better”.
"Anytime there is a change to the list, notice is given on 30 September prior to the change. You have October, November, December to get off what you are doing. All the tennis players were given notification of it and she has a medical team somewhere. That is reckless beyond description”.