MOSCOW — The fallout from the tennis star Maria Sharapova’s suspension over a failed drug test has ensnared her native Russia, as it becomes clear that the drug behind it is poised to create wider problems for Russian sports.
Sharapova, a five-time Grand Slam winner, announced Monday that she had tested positive for the banned drug meldonium during the Australian Open in January, shocking the tennis world and prompting the swift flight of a number of her sponsors.
Meldonium had been a common treatment for Russian athletes before it was added to the World Anti-Doping Agency’s prohibited list in January.