Maria Sharapova doping: Sponsors Nike and Head stand by disgraced tennis star as two-year ban is labelled as 'flawed'

Sharapova will not be able to play again until January 2018 but two of her main sponsors will continue to work with the shamed Russian athlete

Maria Sharapova has been backed by Nike and Head after her two-year doping ban (Getty)

Maria Sharapova has been given a two-year ban from tennis after failing a drugs test at the Australian Open in January, but sponsors Nike and Head will continue to support the Russian and have confirmed that their lucrative contracts with the five-time Grand Slam winner will not be terminated.

Sharapova has confirmed her intention to fight the two-year ban by taking the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport [Cas] after the International Tennis Federation [ITF] announced her suspension on Wednesday.

The 29-year-old held a press conference in March to reveal that she had failed the drugs test during the first Grand Slam tournament of the year, and admitted to taking Meldrinate – which contains the banned substance meldonium – for the last 10 years, although it the substance was only banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency [Wada] at the start of this year.

However, despite being ditched immediately by brands such as Porsche and Tag Heuer, both Nike and Head have confirmed that they will continue to work with the Russian tennis player, even though she will not be allowed to play again at a Grand Slam event until the 2018 French Open.

Nike immediately suspended their deal with Sharapova pending the outcome of the tribunal, but have since lifted the suspension and claimed in a statement that she “did not intentionally break the rules”.

"The ITF Tribunal has found that Maria did not intentionally break its rules. Maria has always made her position clear, has apologised for her mistake and is now appealing the length of the ban. Based on the decision of the ITF and their factual findings, we hope to see Maria back on court and will continue to partner with her," read the statement.

Head meanwhile came in for criticism back in March when it announced that it would stick with Sharapova despite the investigation into her positive drugs test, and the racket manufacturers have accused Wada of breaking its own rules in order to outlaw meldonium and labelled the process of banning Sharapova “flawed”.

Nike will continue to sell their Maria Sharapova brand (Getty)

"Based upon the evidence provided by Miss Sharapova, Wada and by Dr Don Catlin, the Chief Science Officer of the Banned Substances Control Group, it appears that the ITF have made their decision based upon a flawed process undertaken by Wada that clearly highlights how Wada have broken their own rules in determining whether or not meldonium should be banned,” Head chairman Johan Eliasch said in a statement.

"We believe, based on the facts and circumstances provided to us, that it is a flawed decision. Head will continue to support Miss Sharapova."

Head have labelled Sharapova's ban "flawed" after she was suspended for two years (Getty)

A statement from Sharapova issued on her Facebook page soon after the tribunal’s decision was announced confirmed the former Wimbledon champion refuses to accept the length of her ban and will seek a reduction by taking the case to the Cas.

"While the tribunal concluded correctly that I did not intentionally violate the anti-doping rules, I cannot accept an unfairly harsh two-year suspension," Sharapova posted on Facebook.

"The tribunal, whose members were selected by the ITF, agreed that I did not do anything intentionally wrong, yet they seek to keep me from playing tennis for two years.

"I will immediately appeal the suspension portion of this ruling to CAS, the Court of Arbitration for Sport."