"Maria Sharapova disgraced herself with doping... but it does not negate all she accomplished" - Tennis journalist on Russian's Hall of Fame chances
Maria Sharapova recently topped the fan vote round for induction to the International Tennis Hall of Fame. In her first year on the ballot, the Russian was a clear favorite when it came to public perception.
The process of induction, however, is a seven-step process that includes scrutiny by specialized panels. That’s where the Russian’s history with a doping ban becomes trickier with strong opinions weighing in.
Tennis journalist Jon Wertheim for one believes that a player simply being found guilty of having used performance-enhancing drugs should not be grounds for disqualification.
Responding to a question on Sharapova’s chances of being inducted in a Sports Illustrated piece, Wertheim wrote that while the Russian did bring “disgrace” to her name by using performance-enhancing drugs and later coming out with an unsatisfactory explanation, it does not take away from all her achievements.
"Without condoning PED use, in some cases—this being one of them—it should not be disqualifying for Hall of Fame eligibility," Jon Wertheim wrote.
"Did Maria Sharapova disgrace herself both with the positive test and her sloppy alibi, attributing her meldonium use to an alleged family history of diabetes? Yes. Does it negate all she accomplished as a player? No," he added.
Wertheim noted that the drug found in Sharapova’s system at the 2016 Australian Open, meldonium, had not been on the banned list for years.
He went on cite other cases where players had successfully appealed against their bans before noting that Sharapova accepted her punishment in the form of her 15-month ban.
"For years, the banned drug was not banned. Similarly situated players successfully appealed their ban. Maria Sharapova may have made a strategic error trying to control the narrative. She did her time. It’s not as though she skated. Retributive justice and all," he added.
"Maria Sharapova will be getting my vote" - Jon Wertheim on Russian's possible Hall of Fame induction
Further vouching for Maria Sharapova, Jon Wertheim said the Russian will get his vote for induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. He went on to predict Sharapova getting the requisite votes to be enshrined.
"Sharapova tested positive for a banned drug, with performance-enhancing qualities. Still, she will be getting my vote—and, I strongly suspect, the requisite votes for enshrinement," Jon Wertheim wrote.
Notably, Sharapova had failed a doping test at the 2016 Australian Open, testing positive for meldonium. She was handed a two-year ban, which was later truncated to 15 months after a successful appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport.