Athletes testing positive for recreational drugs out of competition will be banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) for 1-3 months instead of two years when the policy is changed next year, officials said on Thursday.
WADA's reduced sanctions for drugs that do not enhance the performance of an athlete will come into effect from Jan. 1, 2021, with a stronger focus on catching athletes who cheat instead.
WADA's new code says athletes caught taking non-performance-enhancing drugs during out-of-competition tests will see their punishment reduced to three months unless they agree to complete a rehab treatment program, in which case the sanction will be reduced to one month.