VOA慢速英语2016--莎拉波娃可能得到第二次机会

Maria Sharapova May Get a Second Chance 莎拉波娃可能得到第二次机会

Tennis star Maria Sharapova was almost in tears in early March when she told reporters in Los Angeles, California, that she tested positive for a banned drug.

Sharapova said the drug meldonium came up on her test at the Australian Open in January.

She said she made a “huge mistake.” Three of her major sponsors² suspended³ their business relationships with her after the test results.

The International Tennis Federation⁴, or ITF, started an investigation⁵ in March and suspended Sharapova while it was gathering⁶ information.

She was one of many athletes suspended earlier this year. Now, she and other athletes may get a chance to play again this summer in time for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil which start on August 5.

The World Anti-Doping Association⁷, known as WADA, monitors the drug-testing programs of 600 sports organizations around the world including the International Olympic Committee.

Late last year, WADA announced it was adding meldonium to the list of banned drugs for 2016. The little-known drug was popular among athletes from Russia and countries in Eastern Europe. WADA says it detected⁸ the drug in 172 tests starting on January 1.

?The drug was so popular, the BBC reported almost 500 athletes at the 2015 European Games tested positive for it. The drug is supposed to help athletes work harder while training or during competitions by carrying more oxygen than usual to muscles.

However, some athletes said, although they stopped taking the drug in 2015, it still showed up in their drug tests in 2016.

That has created a dispute⁹ over the suspensions¹⁰. WADA recently said it does not know how long it takes meldonium to leave the body, especially if athletes were taking it for a long time.

WADA now says athletes who stopped taking the drug last year “could not reasonably have known or suspected” that it would still come up on a drug test this year.

Some banned athletes now are permitted to compete in their sports while more research is being done on meldonium. Two of those athletes are a Russian gymnast and a triple-jumper from Bulgaria.

Sharapova is still suspended. Her hearing is expected to take place soon, but the exact date has not been made public. The ITF is expected to rule sometime in the coming months.

The Associated Press news agency¹¹ reports that the ITF could take up to three months to announce its decision. That means Sharapova will likely not be able to play in the French Open when it opens on May 22. She won that competition twice.

Words in This Story

doping – n. the illegal use of a drug (such as a steroid) to improve an athlete's performance

monitor – v. to watch, observe, listen to, or check (something) for a special purpose over a period of time

sponsor¹ – n. a person or organization that pays the cost of an activity or event (such as a radio or television program, sports event, concert, etc.) in return for the right to advertise during the activity or event

1 sponsor   

vt.发起，主办；资助；n.发起者，资助人

参考例句：

• Sponsor stated they have no idea where he is.赞助方表示他们不知道他在哪儿。
• The sponsor has permanent ad on the website commonly.赞助商一般在网站上有永久性广告。

2 sponsors   

n.保人( sponsor的名词复数 )；（广播电视节目、音乐会或运动会的）赞助者；（培训或教育的）资助者；（法案等的）倡议者v.赞助( sponsor的第三人称单数 )；资助（某人的培训或教育）；为慈善活动捐资；倡议

参考例句：

• The race organizers are trying to attract sponsors. 比赛的组织者在想方设法吸引赞助者。
• They become official sponsors and put their logos on stadium walls. 他们成为正式赞助者，从而能在赛场周围的墙上挂上他们公司的广告牌。 来自辞典例句

3 suspended   

a.被暂时搁置的

参考例句：

• A lamp was suspended from the ceiling. 一盏吊灯悬在天花板上。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area. 英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

4 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

5 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

6 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

7 association   

n.联盟，协会，社团；交往，联合；联想

参考例句：

• Our long association with your company has brought great benefits.我方和贵公司的长期合作带来了巨大的利益。
• I broke away from the association ten years ago.我10年前就脱离了那个团体。

8 detected   

vt.[无]对…检波v.发现，发觉，查明( detect的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• I detected a suggestion of malice in his remarks. 我觉察出他说的话略带恶意。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I detected a faint note of weariness in his voice. 我从他的声音中察觉出一丝倦意。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 dispute   

n.争端，分歧；v.争论，争吵，辩论，辩驳

参考例句：

• They are trying to find a way of settling the dispute.他们正设法寻找解决争端的办法。
• The parties to the dispute should be more polite to each other.争执双方应相互礼貌些。

10 suspensions   

n.悬( suspension的名词复数 )；悬架；暂停；悬浮液

参考例句：

• The two players are appealing against their suspensions. 这两名运动员请求取消对他们的停赛处罚。
• In 1972, International Harvester, Ford, Chrysler, General Motors and Volvo applied for suspensions. 1972年，国际收割机械公司、福特汽车公司、克莱斯勒汽车公司、通用汽车公司和沃尔沃汽车公司都申请了缓期。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

11 agency   

n.经办；代理；代理处

参考例句：

• This disease is spread through the agency of insects.这种疾病是通过昆虫媒介传播的。
• He spoke in the person of Xinhua News Agency.他代表新华社讲话。