Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko told World Anti-Doping Agency President Craig Reedie that Moscow "was fully committed to eradicating doping after Russian athletes were barred from the Rio Olympics, and he pledged full cooperation with WADA for fair sport," according to Dmitriy Rogovitskiy of REUTERS. Mutko wrote to Reedie, "We are ready to work with you to build a transparent structure which makes it impossible to violate even in theory the international standards of WADA by the staff of (Russian anti-doping agency) RUSADA and the (Russian) Laboratory." Mutko "sent the letter ahead of a July 15 deadline for WADA to deliver a final report on its investigation into alleged widespread doping in Russian athletics." CAS said that a final decision "is due by July 21" (REUTERS, 7/6).
IN THE CLEAR: The BBC reported athletes "who test positive for banned substance meldonium after next month's Olympic Games in Rio may not face sanctions, under new guidelines." WADA "extended the period in which athletes who test positive may not be punished." Those found to have low levels of meldonium in tests before Sept. 30 "can now be cleared." Studies "have shown the drug takes longer to be cleared from the system than previously thought" (BBC, 7/6).
