Up to 490 athletes 'took meldonium at European Games in Baku'

A study has revealed that up to 490 athletes may have been taking recently-banned drug meldonium at the European Games in Baku last year.

The use of the medicine in sport came to light on Monday when tennis star Maria Sharapova admitted that she failed a drug test at the Australian Open in January.

The five-time Grand Slam champion claimed that she had been taking meldonium for the last 10 years, but neglected to check the World Anti-Doping Agency's banned substances list, which was updated at the start of 2016 and included the drug.

The findings of a recent study, which was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, stated that 13 medallists in Baku had meldonium in their systems, according to BBC Sport.

Research found that athletes competing in 15 of the 21 sports involved in the European Games used the drug, but those who carried out the study have claimed that the 490 figure is an overestimate.