'Cheater' Sharapova should not be allowed to play again: Bouchard
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[April 27, 2017]
(Reuters) - Canadian Eugenie
Bouchard has lashed out at the WTA for giving Maria Sharapova the
chance to compete in tournaments after serving a 15-month doping ban
and said the Russian is a "cheater" who should never be allowed to
play again.
Sharapova beat Italian Roberta Vinci in the first round of the
Stuttgart Grand Prix on Wednesday after receiving a controversial
wild card for the tournament, having lost all her ranking points in
the wake of her suspension.
Sharapova was banned for two years after testing positive at the
2016 Australian Open for meldonium, a medication the former world
number one had been taking within the rules but which was then
reclassified as a banned drug.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport reduced her ban to 15 months,
while finding Sharapova was not an "intentional doper" but "bore
some degree of fault" for relying on her agent to check the
prohibited list for changes and failing to ensure he had done so.
Bouchard, a 2014 Wimbledon finalist, told the Istanbul-based TRT
World in an interview that a bad example had been set.
"She's a cheater and ... I don't think a cheater in any sport should
be allowed to play that sport again," she said.
"It's so unfair to all the other players who do it the right way and
are true. I think from the WTA it sends the wrong message to young
kids: 'cheat and we'll welcome you back with open arms'.
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![](../images/042717pics/sports51.jpg)
Canada's Eugenie Bouchard hits a shot during a training session
ahead of the Australian Open tennis tournament, in Melbourne,
Australia January 15, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2017/Apr/27/images/ads/current/brickey_lda_061314.png)
"I don't think that's right and (Sharapova is) definitely not
someone I can say I look up to any more."
Sharapova, who faces Russia's Ekaterina Makarova in the second round
in Stuttgart later on Thursday, has also received invitations to
play in Madrid and Rome and will find out in May whether she will be
given a wild card for the French Open.
(Reporting by Simon Jennings in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter
Rutherford) [© 2017 Thomson Reuters. All
rights reserved.]
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