First Russian sprinter tests positive for meldonium – TASS (Reuters)
MOSCOW, March 20 (Reuters) – Russian sprinter Nadezhda Kotlyarova has tested positive for meldonium, a substance banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency since Jan. 1 this year, TASS news agency reported on Sunday. Kotlyarova is the first Russian track-and-field athlete to test positive for meldonium since the ban. Russia’s athletics federation is racing against time to meet anti-doping standards dicated by the sports world governing body and have a cheating ban repealed in time for the Rio Olympics in August. (Reporting by Jack Stubbs; editing by David Clarke)