World Anti-Doping Agency offers athletes an out for testing positive for recently banned drug

The World Anti-Doping Agency has just given athletes who test positive for a recently banned drug a potential out. Meldonium was added to the list of banned substances at the beginning of 2016.

Since it was banned, over 100 athletes have failed tests including tennis star Maria Sharapova. Now, WADA is offering athletes with a positive test a chance to be cleared. Because it is still unclear how long it takes for the drug to be cleared from the system, athletes may be able to prove that they took it prior to Jan. 1, 2016 when it was banned. This new rule was reported on by The Guardian.

It could take up to several months for meldonium to be cleared. WADA says that if athletes took the drug at some point in 2015, they could not reasonably have known that it would still be in their body during tests in 2016.

If an athlete tests positive, they could be cleared if the amount of the drug present is one microgram per millilitre.

Athletes who can prove this may be said to not be at fault or negligent in abiding to the WADA code. As of now, Sharapova is the highest profile athlete who has tested positive. After her January test, she said that she was unaware that the drug was a banned substance.

Some Ethiopian distance runners have also tested positive.

According to The Guardian the Russian sports minister is in support of this decision and praises WADA for being understanding of the context behind the issue instead of sticking to hard and fast rules.

>>RELATED: Understanding the Russian doping scandal: A timeline of events