Maria Sharapova’s suspension from tennis following a failed drugs test has potentially been given some hope following an announcement from the World Anti-Doping Agency.
Earlier this year, Sharapova tested positive for Meldonium, a substance banned by WADA on January 1st 2016. Openly admitting that she failed to check the list of newly banned substances in late 2015, the Russian was provisionally suspended by the ITF.
The highly publicized doping case has put a limelight on Meldonium and how long the effects last for. In March the manufacturer of Meldonium, Grindeks, said that it could take ‘several months’ for the substance to leave a person’s body. The revelation means that an athlete could legally take the substance at the end of 2015 but still fail a drugs test in 2016.
The WADA has now taken note of this point and has adjusted their ruling. In a press release, they have said that athletes who was found to have less than 1 mcg of meldonium in doping tests carried out before March 1, 2016, could be allowed to return to competition.
The latest ruling is a boost to the army of athletes currently suspended, however, it is still unclear as to how it could help Sharapova. It is still not known as to how much of the substance was detected in her sample. The only thing currently known is that Sharapova stated that she took “low doses” of the drug recommended by the her medical team.
Another key factor in Sharapova’s doping case is when she stopped taking the substance. If an athlete took the substance before January 1st without knowing that it would stay in their system beyond that time, the panel could reinstate the athlete.
“There is currently a lack of clear scientific information on excretion times. 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”, The WADA said in their press release.
If Sharapova falls in this category, she could be free to return to competition or received a negligence or no fault ruling.
There is still currently limited public information available surrounding the circumstances of Sharapova’s doping case. Only time will tell if this decision will pave the way for a quicker than expected return to the tour for the five-time Grand Slam champion.
