U.S. volleyball player Max Holt OK for Rio Olympics after meldonium case

Max Holt, who was named to the U.S. Olympic volleyball team on June 21, tested positive for meldonium via a June 10 sample, but can compete in the Rio Games because he took meldonium in December, before it became illegal Jan. 1.

Holt and other members of his Russian club team, Dynamo Moscow, received medication in December and were assured by a team doctor, who did not give a medical justification, that it was legal, according to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.

“It was not until weeks later that Holt and his teammates realized they had been given meldonium,” according to USADA. “After a thorough review of the case, USADA concluded that the extremely low meldonium concentration in the athlete’s…