Sharapova appeal outcome delay

But Maria Sharapova was looking happy and relaxed as she manned the phones at a charity event in NY on Monday.

She could not take part in the Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

The five-time Grand Slam champion confirmed in March she had tested positive for meldonium at this year Australian Open.

And after she finished taking a turn chatting to donors on the phone, she autographed a commemorative board memorising the event.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport confirms that the outcome of Maria Sharapova’s appeal against a two-year doping ban will be announced in the first week of October.

Russia’s star, who is the only person from her country to have completed the career Grand Slam, was handed a two-year ban by the International Tennis Federation.

A ruling had been expected in July, but “scheduling conflicts” forced a delay and CAS will now announce its verdict next month.

“But on January 1, the rules changed and Meldonium became a prohibited substance which I had not known”.

The five-time Grand Slam victor admitted to using the substance after it was banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on January 1, but claims she took it for health reasons stretching back to 2006.

She filed an appeal in June, seeking to overturn or reduce the suspension imposed by the ITF.