With an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) a possibility, Sport Ireland chief executive John Treacy has said they are currently reviewing the case, according to The Irish Times.

"We've made no decision yet, but we are reviewing the case as we speak," he said.

"There is a timeline, in that we have 21 days, which will take us to the middle of May sometime."

Cronin tested positive for two banned substances last November after a European Champions Cup game against French outfit Racing 92.

A disciplinary ruling agreed that a "dispensing error" by a pharmacy resulted in the positive test, after Cronin required antibiotics prior to the match.

He was reportedly given the wrong medicine intended for another customer, leading to the failed test for prednisolone and prednisone.

Independent judicial officer Antony Davies explained the decision, saying: "The judicial officer accepted evidence that the banned substance in the player's sample were due to a dispensing error by the pharmacy and the anti-doping violation was entirely unintentional.

"Although the judicial officer found that there was no significant fault on behalf of the player, and that there were clear and compelling mitigating factors, he determined that the player had to bear some responsibility for what was in his sample."

Cronin's ban runs until May 16, but the 29-year-old will not miss any rugby due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic which has halted sport globally.

He was one of seven athletes to test positive in Ireland in 2019 from 1,303 anti-doping tests - an increase of 17 per cent on the previous year.

Two of those cases are finalised after wrestler Peter Newti and motor racing driver Stanislaw Ukeja both tested positive for cannabinoid and served their three and four month bans respectively.

There has been a 60 per cent increase in testing on rugby players since two years ago, and it is now considered a more high risk sport than athletics, boxing and swimming.

Cronin has volunteered to take part in an educational forum to help raise awareness of banned substances to rugby players, but Treacy said that players should already know the risks.

"I think that every athlete, with all the information out there, should be aware that everything needs to be checked," he said.

"As I said, we're reviewing this particular case, and would also highlight today that every athlete who is taking any substance should check it on our website.

"All that information is out there, available at your fingertips, and whether you're professional or amateur, you should be testing the medications you are on."