AS IT IS 2016-10-05 Maria Sharapova's Doping Ban Reduced

AS IT IS 2016-10-05 Maria Sharapova's Doping Ban Reduced

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Maria Sharapova will be able to return to competitive¹ tennis next April, after the Court of Arbitration² for Sport reduced her doping ban from 24 months to 15 months.

Sharapova was banned from play after she failed a drug test in January. Tests at the 2016 Australian Open showed she had used meldonium, a banned substance.

Meldonium is made in Eastern Europe. It is said to be popular with some athletes from Eastern European countries. The drug is said to increase blood flow. It helps carry oxygen to muscles.

Sharapova admitted she had been taking a drug called Mildronate for over 10 years. But she did not know it was the same as meldonium. The World Anti-Doping Agency³ banned use of meldonium at the beginning of 2016.

At first, the International Tennis Federation⁴ banned Sharapova from competitive tennis for two years. The ban was to end January 25, 2018.

But Sharapova appealed the ruling in the Court of Arbitration for Sport. It ruled on Tuesday to reduce her sentence by nine months. Sharapova will now be able to play in any event that starts after April 25, 2017. As a result, she could compete at the French Open next May.

Sharapova said in a statement that she has “gone from one of the toughest days of my career last March when I learned⁵ about my suspension⁶ to now, one of my happiest days, as I found out I can return to tennis in April.”

Words in This Story

arbitration - n. a process of settling an argument or disagreement in which the people or groups on both sides present their opinions and ideas to a third person or group?

doping - n. the illegal use of a drug (such as a steroid) to improve an athlete's performance?

athlete - n. a person who is trained in or good at sports, games, or exercises that require physical skill and strength?

toughest - adj. involving the greatest difficulty

1 competitive   

adj.竞争的，比赛的，好竞争的，有竞争力的

参考例句：

• Some kinds of business are competitive.有些商业是要竞争的。
• These businessmen are both competitive and honourable.这些商人既有竞争性又很诚实。

2 arbitration   

n.调停，仲裁

参考例句：

• The wage disagreement is under arbitration.工资纠纷正在仲裁中。
• Both sides have agreed that the arbitration will be binding.双方都赞同仲裁具有约束力。

3 agency   

n.经办；代理；代理处

参考例句：

• This disease is spread through the agency of insects.这种疾病是通过昆虫媒介传播的。
• He spoke in the person of Xinhua News Agency.他代表新华社讲话。

4 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

5 learned   

adj.有学问的，博学的；learn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He went into a rage when he learned about it.他听到这事后勃然大怒。
• In this little village,he passed for a learned man.在这个小村子里，他被视为有学问的人。

6 suspension   

n.悬挂，悬浮液，暂缓，未决，中止

参考例句：

• The local authorities decided to build a suspension bridge over the river.地方当局决定在这条河上建一座吊桥。
• A four-day suspension was imposed on her.她被勒令停职4天。