"I made a terrible mistake. I summed up the fans. I summed up the whole sport, "- he said on March 7 at the emergency press conference in Los Angeles, Maria Sharapova. A few days ago, the International Tennis Federation notified Sharapova that her blood was found banned drug meldonium. Tennis and its PR-team from IMG sports agency decided to give public confession, without waiting for the formal charges. Athlete introduced his version of what happened: entered in the list of banned drugs from January 1, 2016 meldonium it due to health problems made use of the last ten years and supposedly just missed the news of the change of status of the substance.

According to the rules of the World Anti-Doping Agency, in the worst tennis player faces suspension for four years. In April, Sharapova will celebrate 29 years - so long suspension from participation in competitions of the International Tennis Federation could mean the end of the athlete's career.

According to Bloomberg, because of the problem of doping test Sharapova may soon lose the $ 298 thousand. This suMMU she received as a prize for their participation in the Australian Open (Australian Open). At this tournament, the Russian has reached the quarterfinals, losing to American Serena Williams.

But much more than on the court, Sharapova earned on advertising. According to estimates of the American magazine Forbes, Sharapova - the highest paid athlete in the world. This status athlete held for 11 consecutive years. In 2015, its annual income was estimated at $ 29.7 million.

Why do I need meldonium

Recovery

In high load conditions meldonium (mildronat) restores the balance between delivery and cellular oxygen demand, eliminating the accumulation of toxic products of metabolism in the cells, protecting them from damage. The drug also has a tonic effect. As a result of its use of the body acquires the ability to withstand stress and to quickly restore energy reserves. Because of these properties mildronat used to treat a variety of disorders of the cardiovascular system, the blood supply to the brain, as well as to improve the physical and umstvconstant performance.

Against ischemic disorders

In the case of acute ischemic myocardial injury mildronat slows the formation of necrotic areas, shorten the rehabilitation period. In heart failure, increases myocardial contractility, increases exercise tolerance, reduces the frequency of angina attacks. In acute and chronic ischemic cerebrovascular disorders improves blood circulation in the ischemic focus, promotes redistribution of blood to the ischemic area. It is effective in the case of vascular and dystrophic pathology of the ocular fundus.

Big loss

The fact that not all advertisers will want to share reputational risks Sharapova, once it became clear: a few hours after the press conference the company for the production of sportswear, footwear and equipment Nike announced that it has suspended the contract with a tennis player. Soon after the decision not to renew the contract with Russian and told the Swiss watch manufacturer
TAG Heuer.

"We are saddened and surprised by the news of Maria Sharapova. We decidedand to suspend relations with Mary until the investigation is completed. We continue to monitor the situation ", - said in a statement Nike (on CNBC quote).

For Sharapova, this is a serious blow to business. Nike brand has become the key to the commercial success of tennis when her career was just beginning. The company with revenues of $ 31 billion was the technical sponsor of Sharapova when she still went to juniors. With the growing popularity of Nike athletes entrusted to oversee her own line of clothing and footwear - ballet flats from Sharapova at some point become a top seller "daughter" outfitter Cole Haan, goods brought millions of dollars in revenue to the manufacturer. In 2013, Cole Haan was sold, but the cooperation with Nike went on to the last row in 2010, the parties entered into a ten-year contract worth $ 70 million.

This was probably the biggest agreement Sharapova: for comparison, the partnership with Porsche and Head, according to unofficial information, bring it for $ 2 million a year. The amounts of the remaining contracts were not disclosed.

Tag Heuer has also been one of the most long-standing partners Sharapova: watchmaker trust her their advertisings products since 2004.

What other Russian athletes caught meldonium

Ekaterina Bobrova

March 7 it became known that meldonium was found in the doping trial of Russian skaters Ekaterina Bobrova. According to the athletes before the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has made a number of illicit drug in, she applied it to the doctors' recommendations. "But after the new WADA regulations, starting in November of last year, mildronat [trade name meldonium] from my kits was gone forever," - said in an interview Bobrova official website of the Russian Olympic Committee. Figure skater argues that doping was in her body during the January European Championships in Bratislava, where she did the doctor injected the Russian national team.

Achievements: Bobrova acts in ice dancing in tandem with Dmitry Solovyov. The main achievement of the skaters - gold team competition 2014 Olympics in Sochi. In addition, the couple five times won the championship of Russia, took four European Championship medals (including gold in 2013) years, won the bronze medal of the world championship - 2013.

Semen Yelistratovin Paul Pavel Kulizhnikov

March 8 became aware of the positive doping test Elistratova Seeds (short track) and Paul Kulizhnikova (speed skating). Their analyzes also been found meldonium. Earlier it was announced that Yelistratov will miss the World Cup, and Pavel Kulizhnikov - finals of the World Cup. The agency "R-Sport", citing a source familiar with the situation, reported that the athletes passed tournaments because of positive doping tests. In 2012, Pavel Kulizhnikov was banned for two years for using a banned drug methylhexaneamine. Now, for the re-use of doping could face a lifetime ban.

Achievements: Yelistratov - Sochi Olympic champion in 2014 in the relay race, the world champion of 2015, the seven-time European champion. Pavel Kulizhnikov -dvukratny world champion in the all-around sprinter, triple - Single Distance. Skater holds the world record in the 500 meters.

Alexander Markin

March 8 the agency "F-Sport" reported that traces meldonium were found in the body of the Russian national team volleyball Aleksandand Markina.

Achievements: a part of the Russian team Markin twice won at the Universiade. In January 2016, he helped the Russian team to win a ticket to the Olympics in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro. As part of the Moscow "Dynamo" Markin won four medals of the Russian championship, twice won the International CEV Cup.

Margin of safety

All advertisers in the spring campaign of 2016 which involved Russian woman, at least once more examine the advisability of continuing cooperation with the disgraced star, Forbes said analyst marketing firm Octagon David Schwab. Even tennis convince all that inadvertently used illicit drug: "In the Twitter era, few people read the headlines on that Sharapova failed a doping test, and delves into the details," - says the expert. According to Schwab, the largest brand of justification athletes hardly seem convincing.

But personal business empire Sharapova and can withstand the current strike, writes Bloomberg referring to Paul Svongarda, former head of the Center for the Study of sports marketingWhen the University of Oregon. "Mary has a very large margin of safety that is called goodwill (goodwill) and the demand for marketing, so it is unlikely it will share the fate of champions from other sports, which broke down reputational scandals. In the end, powerful supply has never been a major source of income for Mary "- said the expert.

In 2015, the advertising contracts brought $ 23 million Sharapova, and its total advertising revenue for the years of career, passed for $ 200 million, of Forbes reported. For comparison, the participation in the tournament has brought $ 6 million Sharapova in 2015 and $ 36.6 million in his career. Besides Nike largest brand, Russian woman put on at the beginning of her career, became a manufacturer of rackets Prince. After the victory of 17-year-old Mary at Wimbledon in 2004 the interest of advertisers has grown dramatically: Nike re-sign a contract with the tennis player to twice more favorable conditions for it, and new partners rising star became Canon, Motorola, Colgate-Palmolive and others. Just a year after the first resounding victory, Sharapova earned $ 18 million. Later in the pool of advertisers, cooperating with Russian, entranceDo giants such as Land Rover, PepsiCo, Samsung, Tiffany & Co. and Sony.

Among its current partners - payment system American Express (two-year agreement signed in 2015, the company launched a special website, where AE cardholders can play a virtual game with a tennis player), Avon (Sharapova - face brand Luck Spirits 2014), Evian ( mineral water producer she has been cooperating for more than ten years), Head (manufacturer rackets lured Sharapova in Prince competitor in 2011), Porsche (Sharapova became the Ambassador of the German car brands in 2013, the agreement is for three years) and - it is not clear whether there will be - Nike.

Under threat from the doping scandal and tennis own business - a manufacturer of chewing Sugarpova candy. Mary launched the brand in 2012 with the support of her agent Max Ayzenbada. The promotion of athlete invested $ 500 thousand. She wanted to turn Sugarpova in lifestyle-brand, with time to get outside of the confectionery segment. In January 2016, on the eve of the fateful for Sharapova Australian Open tournament, Ayzenbad once again confirmed the ambitious plans Conf produceris: by launching a chocolate line to the end of the year the company expects to increase revenues tripled to $ 20 million.

Out of the race

Cult cyclist Lance Armstrong, who in the eyes of the world beat cancer and returned to the sport in 2012, was found guilty of systematic doping. Athlete not only lost all won titles in 1998, but became a real outcast among advertisers. Contracts with the athlete consistently broke outfitter Nike, brewery concern Anheuser-Busch, manufacturer Trek bikes and other major brands. When, in 2013, Armstrong finally confirmed the findings of the anti-doping agency broadcast the Oprah Winfrey show, he estimated its losses from the scandal in at least $ 75 million.

The famous golfer Tiger Woods in the 2000s have repeatedly led the ranking of the most highly paid athletes according to Forbes the world. The scandal broke out when an athlete has admitted in numerous adultery: getting rid of the reputation of exemplary family man, he was not able to save and sponsors. One after another, turned away from Woods, Nike, Accenture, AT & T, Gillette and others. Revenues contracted golferwere approximately $ 50 million per year.

Uruguayan footballer Luis Suarez was often at the center of the scandal because of the unrestrained character. After the striker at the World Cup in Brazil bitten defender Giorgio Chiellini during a match with Italy, he has not got off only one disqualification for nine matches and suspension from football for four months, but lost his sponsorship deal with online poker 888Poker, which is considered compromising Partnership with the player. The amount of the terminated agreement were not disclosed. The main technical sponsor Adidas Suarez to interrupt cooperation with did not.