MOSCOW, June 6. /TASS/. The Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) identified 21 suspected violations of anti-doping regulations by Russian athletes in May, RUSADA’s spokesperson announced to TASS on Tuesday.

"RUSADA has registered 21 cases of possible violations of anti-doping regulations in May 2023," she said.

According to TASS data, RUSADA earlier reported 10 suspected violations of anti-doping regulations in January; 25 cases in February; 13 cases in March; 16 cases in April.

Last year, RUSADA reported identifying 135 potential violations by Russian athletes involving performance enhancing drugs.

RUSADA Director General Veronika Loginova said late last year that up to 25% of all reported anti-doping violations in 2022 among Russian athletes were registered by the agency regarding the use of meldonium, a prohibited substance.

Other reported cases of anti-doping violations in 2022 involved the use of anabolic steroids, diuretics and masking agents.

The drug meldonium (mildronate) was placed on WADA’s prohibition list on January 1, 2016. The presence of this substance in an athlete’s bloodstream during and between competitions is a violation of the anti-doping rules. Meldonium is categorized by WADA’s blacklist as an S4 class substance (hormones and metabolic modulators).

Meldronate is a cardiovascular medication freely available for purchase at pharmacies across Russia without a doctor’s prescription.