Four Russian judokas are the latest athletes to test positive for meldonium as the scandal over the banned substance continues to rock the country, local media reported on Monday.
Russia's Mikhail Pulyaev (L), pictured competing in 2014, is among four
Russian judokas who have tested positive for meldonium. (AFP/Jacques
Demarthon)
MOSCOW: Four Russian judokas are the latest athletes to test
positive for meldonium as the scandal over the banned substance
continues to rock the country, local media reported on Monday (Apr 4).
An unnamed source told TASS news agency that the four
judokas are the 2012 world champion Mikhail Pulyaev, Denis Yartsev,
Natalia Kondratieva and Yekaterina Valkova.
The country's judo federation, however, refused to comment
on the case or name any athletes who had tested positive for the banned
medicine.
Meldonium was thrust into the spotlight last month after
Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova announced she had tested positive
for the substance at the Australian Open in January.
Meldonium - an endurance-boosting drug that is used to treat
heart trouble - was added to the list of banned substances on Jan 1,
2016.
Since then, a string of high-profile Russian athletes,
including Olympic swimmer Yulia Efimova, speedskaters Semyon Yelistratov
and Pavel Kulizhnikov have all admitted to testing positive for the
drug.
Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko has said some 30
athletes in the country had tested positive for meldonium since it was
banned.
Russia's scandal-ridden athletics federation - suspended in
November after a WADA independent commission found evidence of
state-sponsored doping in Russian track and field - last month announced
four meldonium cases among its athletes.
Moscow has vowed to reform its anti-doping programme in time
for its track and field stars to compete at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics
in August.
- AFP/de
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