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MOSCOW. — Four Russian track-and-field athletes have tested positive for the banned drug meldonium, Russia’s athletics chief said yesterday, a disclosure that further undermines Moscow’s efforts to overturn a doping ban in time for the Rio Olympics.

At least 16 Russian sportsmen and women, including world tennis star Maria Sharapova and speed skating Olympic gold-medallist Semion Elistratov, have been caught using meldonium since it was banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency on January 1.

Despite warnings from sports officials that a number of other Russian competitors could have taken the substance, Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko told Reuters on March 11 that meldonium had nothing to do with athletics in his country.

But Dmitry Shlyakhtin, head of the Russian Athletics Federation (ARAF), said yesterday four athletes had now tested positive. — Reuters.