She'll definitely be banned, however harsh the circumstances. Not to do so would bring the whole disciplinary process into disrepute, and every other player would be up in arms.
If you look at her statement she says: "I don't want to end my career this way, I really hope I will be given another...
Non-story? It is virtually the lead story across the world! Maybe they're all wrong...
But on the actual issue at hand, it looks as you say more an extreme cautionary tale than evidence of deliberate cheating.
If I was Sharapova I'd be offering the ITF/WTA straight away to counsel young...
Massive story, and there are so many possible interpretations.
Is it just really bad luck and a massive oversight? Could/should the WTA have warned her separately about this newly banned drug they knew she had been using for 10 years? What on earth were her team/doctor doing, don't they get...