Maria Sharapova's failed drugs admission has prompted the United Nations to suspend the Russian from working with the organization.
Worth
an estimated $195 million, Sharapova will be unable to continue her
work as a goodwill ambassador with the U.N. Development Program until
the conclusion of the investigation into her admission that she tested
positive for the banned substance meldonium at the Australian Open in January.
"The United Nations Development Programme
(UNDP) remains grateful to Maria Sharapova for her support of our work,
especially around the Chernobyl nuclear disaster recovery," said a UNDP
spokesperson.
"However, in light of Ms.
Sharapova's recent announcement, we last week suspended her role as a
Goodwill Ambassador and any planned activities while the investigation
continues. We wish Ms. Sharapova the best."
The 28-year-old, who was paid a symbolic $1 salary in her role, said at the time that it was one of her "proudest contracts ever."
Sharapova
has worked with the program which aims to eradicate poverty and
inequality for nearly a decade, focusing mainly on helping victims of
the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.
She made a $100,000 donation to young survivors caught up in the world's worst nuclear accident upon her appointment in 2007.
Sharapova's
family once lived 80 miles north of Chernobyl in the Belorussian city
of Gomel and were forced to flee to Siberia because of fears over
radiation after the accident.
According to U.N. guidelines,
goodwill ambassadors are "persons of integrity" who "possess the
personality and dignity required for such high-level representative
capacity."
Sharapova appears to have
contravened article 28 of Guidelines for the designation of Goodwill
Ambassadors and Messengers of Peace, which states that the arrangement
will be re-examined if the ambassador "engages in any activity
incompatible with his/her status or with the purposes and principles of
the U.N., or if the termination is in the interest of the organization."
Ranked as the highest earning female athlete in the world for the 11th year running in 2015 by Forbes, Sharapova's failed drug test admission has led to a number of companies reassessing their relationship with the Russian.
Nike, Tag Heuer and Porsche all suspended their sponsorship deals with Sharapova, though racket manufacturer Head has said it will extend her contract.
The five-time grand slam winner took to Facebook Saturday telling fans she was "determined to fight back."
Sharapova
said she had been taking the heart drug since 2
006 but dismissed
reports she took it every day, saying she followed doctors' instructions
and took it in the "low doses recommended."
Reports
last week had suggested the normal course of treatment for patients on
meldonium, sometimes known as mildronate, is four to six weeks.
"That
headline has been repeated by many reporters who fail to tell their
viewers and readers what the rest of the story says," wrote Sharapova on
her Facebook page.
"The story quotes the manufacturer of my
medicine as saying: 'Treatment course can be repeated twice or thrice a
year. Only physicians can follow and evaluate patient's health condition
and state whether the patient should use meldonium for a longer period
of time.'
"That's exactly what I did. I didn't take the medicine every day."
Sharapova
failed a drug test on January 26 after losing to Serena Williams in the
Australian Open quarterfinals. She was charged with an anti-doping
violation on March 2, and was provisionally banned from March 12.
The
ban could be reduced to two years or less if anti-doping officials find
Sharapova did not intentionally take the drug to enhance performance.
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