Porsche have another problem on hands after getting sucked into the emissions scandal.
Porsche have another problem on hands after getting sucked into the emissions scandal. High profile tennis star Maria Sharapova, who has endorsed Porsche for almost three years now has failed a dope test. However, to distance itself immediately from another round of negative publicity, Porsche cuts ties with Maria Sharapova after failed drug test.
Maria Sharapova
Porsche said it has “chosen to postpone planned activities” with Sharapova “until further details are released and we can analyze the situation.” Similarly, other high profile brands like Tag Heuer and Nike also decided to suspend their ties with the Russian. “We are saddened and surprised by the news about Maria Sharapova. We have decided to suspend our relationship with Maria while the investigation continues. We will continue to monitor the situation,” Nike said in a statement. TAG Heuer said it has abandoned talks on renewing its sponsorship, which expired in December, “in view of the current situation.”
Sharapova held a press conference in Los Angeles on Monday revealing that she had failed a drug test at this year’s Australian Open.
“I did fail the test, and I take full responsibility for it. … It’s very important for you to understand that for 10 years, this medicine was not on WADA [World Anti-Doping Agency]’s banned list and I had been legally taking the medicine for the past 10 years. But on Jan. 1, the rules had changed and meldonium became a prohibited substance, which I did not know. … I was given this medicine by my doctor for several health issues I was having in 2006.”
The Tennis Anti-Doping Programme said in a statement that Sharapova “will be provisionally suspended with effect from 12 March, pending determination of the case.”
Maria Sharapova came onboard as one of the global brand ambassadors for Porsche in April 2013. Despite winning just two WTA titles in 2015 she was the highest paid sportswoman that year, earning $30 million mostly from advertising, according to American magazine Forbes.
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