British tennis star Andy Murray says Maria Sharapova must serve her ban

British Tennis superstar Andy Murray has reacted to Maria Sharapova's drug admission, saying that the Russian "must accept responsibility" and serve her ban. The 28-year-old Russian found herself in the middle of a controversy when she admitted that she had tested positive for the banned drug meldonium.

The five-time Grand Slam winner, who will be provisionally suspended from 12 March, revealed that she was taking the banned drug for health reasons for the past 10 years. The world number two, Murray, however, felt that Sharapova must take responsibility for her actions.

"Clearly if you are taking performance-enhancing drugs and you fail a drugs test, you have to get suspended", said Murray as quoted by BBC.

"I think since 1 January there have been 55 different athletes who have failed tests for meldonium. I find it strange that there's a prescription drug used for heart conditions and so many athletes competing at the top level of their sport would have that condition. That sounds a bit off to me."

Murray also said that the ATP needed to do more to combat the threat of doping and widespread use in tennis.

"It's better than it was a few years ago. Last year I certainly got tested a lot, but this year I have been tested twice, three months into the year, which is clearly not enough", he added.

Sharapova is not the only athlete to have fallen foul of the prohibition of the heart drug. Various athletes including 1,500m world champion Abeba Aregawi, 2015 Tokyo Marathon winner Endeshaw Negesse and Russian ice dancer Ekaterina Bobrova have tested positive for meldonium.