MADISON (Wisconsin), Dec 2: A former US university gridiron player was charged on Monday with threatening Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova, as well as his former coach.

Leonard Taylor, a defensive back for the University of Wisconsin from 1995-98, was arrested on Friday and faces charges of stalking and telephone harassment over calls he made to Barry Alvarez, his former head coach and now the University of Wisconsin athletic director.

In the calls, Taylor threatened to kill Sharapova and her family as well as Alvarez himself, according to a criminal complaint released on Monday.

Taylor’s father, Leonard Taylor Sr, told police his son has been diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenic and stopped taking his medication about three months ago.—AFP