(ATR) The addition of meldonium to the prohibited substance list helped produce a spike in positive doping tests in 2016.
The World Anti-Doping Agency’s numbers, released as part of WADA’s annual report, showed a 26.4 percent increase in adverse analytical findings (AAFs) from 2015 to 2016, with almost the same amount of samples being collected each year.
In 2016, 328,086 anti-doping tests yielded 4,814 AAFs. That’s an increase of 1,005 from the 3,809 AAFs recorded in 2015 from 328,381 tests.
Nearly half of the increase, or 497 cases, came from positive tests for meldonium, which was added to the banned list effective January 1, 2016. The drug is used primarily in the treatment of heart and cardiovascular diseases but was becoming more popular among athletes, which caught the attention of WADA.
Tennis star Maria Sharapova was the highest profile athlete to test positive for the drug. She served a 15-month suspension that ended in April.
WADA says it will have additional testing numbers available later this year.
The agency’s annual report concentrated on outlining "the year’s accomplishments and priorities aimed at ‘building an agency that is fit for the future’".
Last year was a challenging one for WADA. The IOC refused to adopt WADA’s recommendation to ban Russia from the Rio Olympics for state-sponsored doping following the release of the first McLaren Report.
After the Rio Games, WADA’s Anti-Doping Administration and Management System (ADAMS) was hacked by the Russian group called Fancy Bears, who released personal medical information on dozens of athletes.
WADA’s complete annual report can be seen here.
Athletics Integrity Unit Announces Anti-Doping Test Results
Three adverse analytical findings are under investigation following testing carried out by the Athletics Integrity Unit during the IAAF World Championships in London.
The AIU says a total of 1,513 blood and urine samples were collected and analyzed during both pre-competition and in-competition testing periods.
No medalists at the championships were involved in the three adverse findings. The AIU says it will not make any further comment at this stage, in accordance with the IAAF Anti-Doping Rules and AIU policy.
Written by Gerard Farek
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