MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Sharapova, 29, filed earlier on Tuesday an appeal at the CAS against a decision to sanction her with a two-year period of ineligibility issued by the Tribunal appointed by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) on 6 June 6, 2016.
"The parties have agreed to an expedited procedure which will allow the CAS to render a decision, at the latest, on 18 July 2016. The final decision will be announced and published by CAS when it is available," the CAS said in a statement.
On March 7, Sharapova, Russia's five-time Grand Slam tennis champion, admitted to having tested positive for meldonium, which was added by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to its banned substances list on January 1, 2016. Sharapova has been suspended from participation in all tournaments since March 12. She said her family doctor began issuing the substance, also known as mildronate, in 2006 because of health problems.
A number of Russian top athletes besides Sharapova have failed a drug test for meldonium.
Meldonium is used in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union to treat heart conditions. The WADA considers the drug to be a metabolic modulator that increases athletes' endurance and shortens post-exercise rehabilitation time.
