WADA Changes Guidelines on Meldonium

(ATR) Some of the dozens of athletes currently banned for using meldonium could be declared eligible to compete following a change in guidelines made by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

WADA says there is "a lack of clear scientific information" on how long it takes for meldonium to leave a person’s body but admits that preliminary studies show that the drug could be detectable for months after the last time it was ingested.

"For this reason, a hearing panel might justifiably find (unless there is specific evidence to the contrary) that an athlete who has established on the balance of probabilities that he or she ingested meldonium before 1 January 2016 could not reasonably have known or suspected that the meldonium would still be present in his or her body on or after 1 January 2016." WADA said in a statement.

"In these circumstances, WADA considers that there may be grounds for no fault or negligence on the part of the athlete."

WADA president Craig Reedie said in a separate statement on Wednesday April 13 that there have been 172 positive samples for meldonium since it was prohibited at the beginning of 2016.

"Concurrently, there has been a call by stakeholders for further clarification and guidance," Reedie said. "WADA recognizes this need -- that meldonium is a particular substance, which has created an unprecedented situation and therefore warranted additional guidance for the anti-doping community."

The new guidelines do not offer a blanket reprieve, however. Athletes could be cleared of blame only if the amount of meldonium detected was less than one microgram per milliliter from a test after March 1 or, if the sample was taken before March 1, the concentration was between one and 15 micrograms.

The change by WADA could help those who stopped taking the drug ahead of the Jan. 1, 2016 deadline. But it may not be of much help for the highest profile athlete to be caught using meldonium. That’s because Maria Sharapova has admitted that she did not know the drug had become a banned substance.

Sharapova is currently serving a provisional suspension after testing positive for meldonium during the Australian Open in January. She awaits a hearing on her case before a tribunal of the International Tennis Federation.

Russian athletes have accounted for a disproportionate percentage of those who have tested positive for meldonium. In a statement, the Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko applauded WADA’s decision, saying the agency is showing "a willingness to understand the situation, rather than stick to the rule book."

Written by Gerard Farek

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