Maria Sharapova's racquet sponsor Head say they will EXTEND their contract with the disgraced star in recognition of the 'honesty she has displayed admitting her mistake'
- Russian faces ban after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug
- Looks set to lose £100million after being dropped by a string of sponsors
- But Head has vowed to stand by star for displaying 'honesty and courage'
- Firm said: 'She has earned benefit of doubt and we are extending it to her'
- Head also sponsors Andy Murray, an outspoken critic of drug cheats
Maria Sharapova's racquet sponsor Head today took the extraordinary decision to extend their deal with the disgraced tennis star despite her failing a drugs test.
The former Wimbledon champion faces being banned from the sport after she admitted testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance.
She also looks set to lose out on £100million in future earnings after a string of sponsors distanced themselves from the Russian.
But Head today vowed to stand by the 28-year-old, saying the 'honesty and courage she displayed in announcing and acknowledging her mistake was admirable.'
Maria Sharapova uses a Head racquet during her second-round match at the Australian Open when she failed a doping test. Head said it would extend their deal with the disgraced tennis star regardless of her ban
The company said it intended to extend her contract and 'look forward to working with her and announcing new sponsorships in the weeks and months ahead'.
The statement added: 'Maria may have made a mistake, but she has earned the benefit of the doubt and we are extending it to her.'
Head also sponsors Andy Murray, an outspoken critic of doping cheats.
The British Number One recently called on tennis to do more in the war on drugs, urging the authorities to spend extra money on anti-doping programmes.
Shamed: Sharapova revealed that she failed a drugs test at the 2016 Australian Open after testing positive for meldonium at a press conference on Monday (pictured)
Speaking in November, he said: 'It's up to the governing bodies just how much they want to tackle it because with the amount of money and profit sport actually makes, there needs to be enough spent on anti doping.'
Sharapova's financial woes continued to mount yesterday when another sponsor, American Express, distanced itself from her.
Since admitting she failed a test for performance-enhancing drug meldonium at the Australian Open in January, Sharapova, who is worth around £137million, has been dropped by watch-maker TAG Heuer as well as Porsche and Nike – with whom she had a £50million deal.
Last night American Express said she had 'fulfilled the terms of her contract' in 2015.
A spokesman said they hired Sharapova for one-off events and insisted there was 'no planned work with her for this year before this happened'.
Cosmetics firm Avon, which also have deals with her, did not comment yesterday.
Sharapova faces a four-year ban from tennis.
She insists she missed warnings about meldonium's ban, which came into effect on January 1, and that she had been taking the substance, which usually treats a heart condition, for ten years for health reasons.
But the Latvian manufacturers say it is typically prescribed for four to six weeks.
World Anti-Doping Agency president Craig Reedie last night questioned why she would have been prescribed meldonium as an apparently healthy teenager.
Head also sponsors Andy Murray, an outspoken critic of doping cheats. The British Number One recently called on tennis to do more in the war on drugs, urging authorities to spend more on anti-doping programmes
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