The newly elected president of the French Tennis Federation (FFT), Bernard Giudicelli, has indicated that Maria Sharapova may not receive a wild card to play the French Open.
Sharapova has received wild cards for clay-court events in Stuttgart, Madrid and Rome as she returns from an anti-doping suspension for testing positive for meldonium. With tournament entries based on rankings six weeks prior to the tournament, she would also likely require a wild card for the French Open.
But Giudicelli, in a conversation with a French journalist on Facebook Live, said the organization has not determined whether to give a wild card to the Russian.
"It's going to be complicated," he said, referring to controversy about whether doping violators should be helped by tournaments upon their return. "Roland Garros—it's Roland Garros. One does not invest a million-and-a-half in anti-doping and..."
Sharapova, a former champion at the French Open, said she had taken the substance for many years and did not know it had been banned at the beginning of 2016.
"Today, [the decision] has not been taken," said Giudicelli.
Andy Murray has said he does not want players with anti-doping suspensions to receive wild cards as they return to tour.