Thursday 10 March 2016 11:19, UK
Maria Sharapova's racquet sponsors Head have announced they will stand by the Russian and plan to extend their contract with the former world No 1.
Sharapova will be provisionally suspended from tennis at the weekend and could be banned for four-years after testing positive for meldonium at the Australian Open in January.
The 28-year-old revealed during a press conference on Monday that she had been taking the drug legally for ten years for health reasons on the advice of her family doctor and claimed she did not know it had been added to the World Anti-Doping Agency's list of banned substances on January 1.
Sharapova's sponsors Nike, Tag Heuer and Porsche waited less than 24 hours before dropping the five-time Grand Slam winner but Head say she has "earned the benefit of doubt" and are sticking by her.
"Head is proud to stand behind Maria, now and into the future and we intend to extend her contract," said Head's chairman and chief executive John Eliasch in a statement
"For more than a decade, Maria Sharapova has been a role model and woman of integrity who has inspired millions of fans around the world to play and watch tennis.
"The honesty and courage she displayed in announcing and acknowledging her mistake was admirable.
"We look forward to working with her and to announcing new sponsorships in the weeks and months ahead.
"Maria may have made a mistake, but she has earned the benefit of the doubt and we are extending it to her.
"We look forward to many more years of working with Maria."
