The World Anti-Doping Agency says athletes who tested positive for meldonium could avoid suspensions if the substance was taken before Jan. 1 this year.
Meldonium was added to WADA's banned list at the start of 2016, and tennis player Maria Sharapova is one of 172 athletes who failed drug tests after it was detected in their samples.
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A large number of those athletes are Russian. Suspensions could be especially painful for Russia's track and field athlete, who will miss the 2016 Rio Olympics unless their bans are overturned.