Drug misuse destroying sport: No room left for idealism or beauty

TIME, greed, and almost endless human weakness have tragically flipped that cherished principle — innocent until proven guilty — on its head in the world of professional sport.

Scandal after scandal, fallen hero after fallen hero have created an atmosphere where many of the world’s top performers labour under a cloud of unsatisfied suspicion. Tragically, many competitors are imagined guilty of using performance enhancing drugs unless they pass a drug test. The admission by Russian tennis player Maria Sharapova, who has won five grand slam titles, that she tested positive for a banned substance at the Australian Open in January is just the latest confirmation of the power money can exert over people’s decision-making processes and whether they allow that process be influenced by ethics or not.

Ms Sharapova is the embodiment of a rags-to-riches story after she and her father fled penniless from Siberia to chase a dream. Her potential was realised and she has been the world’s top-earning female athlete for the last decade. She made €20m from endorsements in 2014, including an eight-year, €60m deal with Nike, a five-year contract with Evian, and deals with Porsche, Cole Haan and Tag Heuer. Her off-court earning capacity is so spectacular that her tennis is just a necessary adjunct to her marketing career.