{"id":31329,"date":"2016-03-08T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2016-03-08T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cms.fiveaa.com.au\/uncategorized\/meldonium-use-was-widespread-and-had-concerned-authorities-for-years\/"},"modified":"2016-03-08T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2016-03-08T00:00:00","slug":"meldonium-use-was-widespread-and-had-concerned-authorities-for-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cms.fiveaa.com.au\/show\/meldonium-use-was-widespread-and-had-concerned-authorities-for-years\/","title":{"rendered":"Meldonium use was widespread and had concerned authorities for years"},"content":{"rendered":"

Former ASADA boss Richard Ings says the drug at the centre of the Maria Sharapova scandal had been worrying anti-doping authorities for a number of years and its use was widespread among athletes.<\/h3>\n

Sharapova tested positive for meldonium at the Australian Open after the drug was banned at the start of the year.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a drug that has actually been of some concern in anti-doping for probably about one to two years,\u201d Ings told Rowey and Bicks on FIVEAA.<\/p>\n

He said the concerns prompted studies, which had indicated meldonium would enhance performances.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was put on the monitoring list last year.<\/p>\n

\"Sharapova<\/h3>\n

\u201cWADA started testing all samples for this on a monitoring basis and found that 2.2 per cent \u2013 one-in-fifty athletes \u2013 were using this particular drug, and that\u2019s the reason why it was out on the banned list from 1 January,\u201d Ings said<\/h3>\n

He estimated the penalty Sharapova could be facing.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf all the parties are in a agreement this matter could very speedily get to a tribunal.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the range of sanction would probably be in the one to two year mark. This is not a matter that really looks like it\u2019s a four year ban.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said Sharapova\u2019s claim that she didn\u2019t realise the drug had been banned was unacceptable.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaria Sharapova earned nearly US $30 million in prize money and endorsement last year.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe has a big entourage of trainers and medicos and agents around her.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is something where you\u2019ve got to open the email, you\u2019ve got to check what you\u2019re taking because the consequences are incredibly severe,\u201d Ings said.<\/p>\n

LISTEN TO RICHARD INGS HERE:<\/h3>\n