Sharapova Suspended for Two Years

Maria Sharapova was suspended for two years by the International Tennis Federation on Wednesday, for testing positive for the banned substance meldonium.

She immediately responded by saying she would appeal the decision.

The ruling by an independent three-person panel appointed by the ITF said Sharapova, 29, did not intend to cheat but that she bore "sole responsibility'' and "very significant fault'' for the positive test.

"The ITF tribunal unanimously concluded that what I did was not intentional," Sharapova said in a statement. "The tribunal found that I did not seek treatment from my doctor for the purpose of obtaining a performance enhancing substance. The ITF spent tremendous amount of time and resources trying to prove I intentionally violated the anti-doping rules and the tribunal concluded I did not. You need to know that the ITF asked the tribunal to suspend me for four years -- the required suspension for an intentional violation -- and the tribunal rejected the ITF's position."

The ITF, last month before the tribunal, asked for Sharapova to be suspended for four years, but the rules state that she could not be suspended for longer than two years if it was deemed that her use of the drug was not intentional.