14 athletes allowed to compete after meldonium suspensions lifted
Davit Modzmanashvili of Georgia poses with his silver medal during the medals ceremony for the men’s 120-kilogram freestyle wrestling competition, held on Aug. 11, 2012, at the Summer Olympics in London.
Two days after the World Anti-Doping Agency loosened its policy on meldonium, Russia and Georgia announced that doping suspensions had been lifted for at least 14 athletes who had the drug in their systems when tested.
The situation around the heart medication -- which can also be used to enhance performance -- has grown murky because of uncertainty about how long it lingers in the human body.
Meldonium was added to the banned list at the start of this year. Some of the 172 athletes who have tested positive and been provisionally suspended since then have insisted that they stopped using the drug before the ban.
On Wednesday, WADA notified national anti-doping agencies that athletes found with only traces of the drug could have their suspensions lifted pending further review.
Six Georgian wrestlers including Olympic silver medalist Davit Modzmanashvili are now eligible to resume competition, officials in that country announced on Friday.
The Russian Olympic Committee lifted eight suspensions of athletes in summer and winter sports.
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There was no word on the status of tennis star Maria Sharapova, who acknowledged testing positive for meldonium earlier this year. Additional suspensions are expected to be lifted in the coming days.
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