WADA banned meldonium without studying period of its withdrawal from athletes’ blood – Mutko

March 23, 2016 JRL Russia List Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Drugs, Sports, Olympics, World Cup

Medical Symbol with Pole, Serpents, Wings, adapted from image at lanl.gov

MOSCOW. March 22 (Interfax) – Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko has said that the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) did not publish the results of research on meldonium before banning this substance.

“It is necessary to thoroughly examine the problems of this substance’s [meldonium] withdrawal and retention in blood. We have received a reply from WADA that they did not do any research on this substance’s period of withdrawal. They simply stated two factors: that it can influence an athlete’s performance results and health. These studies were not made public,” Mutko told reporters in Moscow on Tuesday.

“With due consideration of each individual case, there is a need to draw common and honest conclusions jointly with our colleagues from WADA and international federations,” the minister added.