MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Meldonium was developed in Latvia to treat patients with heart conditions. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) added meldonium to its banned substances list on January 1, 2016. The agency considers the drug to be a metabolic modulator that increases athletes' endurance and shortens post-exercise rehabilitation time.
As of today, there are 201 Adverse Analytical Findings (positives) recorded for banned substance Meldonium #WADA
— WADA (@wada_ama) April 15, 2016
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that WADA’s decision to prohibit the use of meldonium, popular in Russia and other eastern European countries among athletes, was unlikely politically motivated.
A number of Russian top athletes, including tennis star Maria Sharapova, swimmer Yulia Efimova, figure skater Ekaterina Bobrova and biathlonist Eduard Latypov, among others, have failed a drug test for meldonium.
