The International Tennis Federation announced today that American Varvara Lepchenko did commit an anti-doping rule violation but will receive no sanction.
Lepchenko, 30, was provisionally banned on March 12, 2016 for testing positive for meldonium. But in its decision released today, the ITF found Lepchenko “bore no fault or negligence for the violation” because of WADA’s revised notice on meldonium, stating that the substance could stay in the body for months after use. After WADA issued the notice on April 13, 2016, the ITF says Lepchenko made a successful application to the independent tribunal to hear the case to have her provisional suspension lifted.