Maria Sharapova handed meldonium lifeline as doctors don’t know how long it stays in system

MARIA SHARAPOVA could be handed a lifeline after world anti-doping chiefs admitted they DON’T KNOW exactly how long newly-banned drug meldonium can stay in the body for.

Tennis ace Sharapova is the biggest name to test positive for the drug which was only put on the banned list on January 1.

But anti-doping doctors might not be able to prove whether the 28-year-old took meldonium before or after the start of 2016.

Sharapova was caught out at the Aussie Open in January and is facing a possible two year-ban with the drug — used to clinically treat angina and heart problems — now known to help recovery and endurance in athletes.

More than 120 positive tests for meldonium have been recorded already this year, including 40 Russian athletes, since the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) banned it.

But Wada now admits that some athletes who have tested positive may be able to avoid sanctions because of a lack of certainty over how long the drug takes to clear the system.

Early studies suggest it could still be detectable several MONTHS after being administered.

And it says provisional suspensions may be LIFTED if it can be proved that an athlete took meldonium before it was placed on the list on January 1.

A spokesman said: “If the anti-doping organisation finds that the athlete could not reasonably have known or suspected that the substance would still be present in his/her body on or after January 1, 2016, then a finding of no fault or negligence many be made.”

Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko — whose country has been hit most by the list being put on the banned list, not surprisingly welcomed the news.

Russia is still banned for world athletics after Wada uncovered evidence of Cold War-style doping and its place in the track and field programme at the Rio Olympics this summer under threat unless the sporting superpower can prove it has cleaned up its act.

He said: “We support and welcome the decision made by Wada because it has showed a willingness to understand the situation, rather than stick to the rulebook.”