Sharapova out of Olympics as CAS delays decision

"Maria Sharapova and the International Tennis Federation (ITF) have agreed to defer the CAS decision until September 2016," said a CAS statement on Monday.

Delay in CAS decision has effectively ended Maria Sharapova's hopes of participating in the Olympics.

Maria Sharapova will miss next month's Rio Olympics after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Monday decided to defer its decision on the Russian multiple grand slam champion's appeal against a two-year doping ban until September.

Sharapova was seeking to have her ban, which was imposed on her by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) in June, wiped out or reduced and a decision was initially expected to be announced by July 18.

The postponement of the ruling came as Sharapova and the ITF needed more time to “complete and respond to their respective evidentiary submissions", the CAS said in a statement.

“A decision is expected to be issued by 19 September 2016,” it added.

The 29-year-old former world number one was named in Russia's official entry list for the Olympics tennis tournament.

Sharapova was banned last month following a positive test for the banned drug meldonium during January's Australian Open.