Caught in meldonium athlete Mutko told the reason for his ban – RBC

Pavel Kulikov at the world Cup bobsled and skeleton in Konigssee, Germany, December 2015 .

Photo “RIA Novosti»

skeletonist Pavel Kulikov sent to the Minister of sports Vitaly Mutko open letter. It caught on meldonium athlete said that WADA has banned the drug because of its popularity among athletes from the CIS

World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) included meldonium the list of banned drugs because of its popularity among athletes of the CIS countries. Such a statement was made by Russian skeletonist Pavel Kulikov in an open letter to the Minister of Sport Vitaly Mutko, reports «R-Sport».

«Arrived for a doping test Latvian doping officer, representing the British Anti-Doping Agency, told me, that in recent years many cases of meldonium was found, as it was included in the list of prohibited substances by the World Anti-doping agency (WADA) is only due to the popularity of the drug among the CIS athletes, “- said in a letter Kulikova

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The day before it became known that the doping test on meldonium have Kulikova was positive. In a letter to the athlete Mutko said that he had taken the drug on the advice of a doctor of the Russian national Anna Vychik skeleton in June last year during a gathering in Moscow region. Kulikov noted that “at the time the drug was approved for use and used on doctor’s prescription to strengthen the heart muscle».

In August Vychik said meldonium from January 1, 2016 is included in the list of drugs banned to the use by athletes. After that, according to Kulikov, he did not take meldonium. Himself an athlete pleaded not guilty.

In the beginning of March Used meldonium caught several Russian athletes. Among them -. Maria Sharapova, skater Ekaterina Bobrova, swimmer Yuliya Efimova and other

According to recent data, used meldonium caught about 120 athletes worldwide. Among them, 27 Russians, said the head of Ministry of Sports Vitaly Mutko.