Breaking news: Maria Sharapova has been BANNED from tennis

The world of tennis has been rocked this afternoon following the news that Maria Sharapova have been banned from tennis for two years for violating an Anti-Doping rule.

According to emerging reports, an Independent Tribunal today ruled that a two-year period of ineligibility be imposed upon the Russian tennis champion.

The 29-year-old sports star provided officials with a urine sample at the beginning of the year which was ultimately found to contain meldonium – a substance which is prohibited under the 2016 Tennis Anti-Doping Programme.

Having admitted in March that she had indeed violated the Anti-Doping rule, the former World No. 1 requested a hearing before the Independent Tribunal in order to learn the consequences of her actions.

It has been established that Ms. Sharapova's ban will be backdated to January 26th – the day in which she failed the drug test – which means she can re-enter the world of tennis in January 2018.

The Olympic medallist and five-times Grand Slam winner avoided a possible four year ban.

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