Way Before Kanye West’s Billion Dollar Loss to Adidas, Russian Star Maria Sharapova Had a Painful $70 Million Story With Nike

The former Russian tennis player Maria Sharapova was considered one of the most promising athletes during her prime. Prior to her decision to retire in 2020, Sharapova dominated on the court and won 5 Grand Sam titles during her tennis journey. She also received millions of dollars in sponsorship deals from some of the top brands in the industry.

However, the former Wimbledon champion later lost all these sponsorships deals after she failed a drug test. Even the popular sporting brand, Nike, cut ties with the Russian tennis star. As a result, Sharapova once lost a whopping amount of $70 million from that deal.

Maria Sharapova once lost a sponsorships deal with Nike

The 5-time Grand Slam champion’s contract of $12.5 million a year, from Nike, was immediately terminated after she failed a drug test. During that period, Maria Sharapova tested positive for consuming a drug called Meldonium. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) considered Meldonium a banned substance and it was prohibited for athletes.

The UK-based sports marketing consultant, Nigel Currie, further revealed that the deal that was offered to Sharapova was among the biggest deals offered by Nike to a female athlete. The popular sports brand announced the split with Sharapova by stating, “We are saddened and surprised by the news about Maria Sharapova. We have decided to suspend our relationship with Maria while the investigation continues. We continue to monitor the situation.”

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The former Wimbledon champion later revealed that she had been consuming the drug since 2006. Sharapova went on to say that she was taking Meldonium for her health issues and also to prevent diabetes as it was part of her family history.

Another popular figure, Kanye West recently lost a multi-billion dollar deal with the sports brand, Adidas. Ye’s partnership with Adidas came to an end after the split between the sports brand and the American rapper.

Other popular brands once cut ties with Sharapova

After failing the drug test, Sharapova lost many other sponsorships deals with some of the most luxurious brands. The popular watchmaker TAG Heuer previously announced their decision to suspend negotiations with the Russian tennis player. Sharapova also faced a similar consequence when the luxurious automotive brand, Porsche, decided to split with the 5-time Grand Slam champion.

However, despite the ban, the popular brand, Evian water, continued its “trustworthy professional relationship” with Sharapova. The owner of Evian water, Danone, also stated that the news about Sharapova’s ban surprised them. The former Russian tennis player has previously apologized to the media and her fans.

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