Nike has suspended its ties with former world number one and ace Russian Tennis player Maria Sharapova after she failed a drug test at the Australian Open.
The 28-year old tennis star is banned after she tested positive for a banned drug called meldonium, which she has been taking since 2006 for often health issues.
Following this, Nike said that they were stunned by the act of Sharapova and hence decided to suspend ties with her. Nike however said that it would continue to monitor the issue.
The International Tennis Federation charged Sharapova in accordance with Article 8.1.1 of the TADP with an anti-doping rule violation. Sharapova would be provisionally suspended from March 12.
The five-time Grand Slam champion has accepted the charge leveled against her and said that she had no one to blame but herself. She admitted that she made a big mistake by not looking properly when she had received a list of prohibited items from WADA effective from 1st January, 2016.
Sharapova could face a career-ending ban.