Athlete bans lifted after meldonium ruling

At least 14 athletes from Russia and Georgia have had their doping suspensions lifted, two days after officials relaxed the rules about meldonium.

Meldonium was banned for 2016, prompting at least 172 failed tests worldwide. But the World Anti-Doping Agency changed its guidance on Wednesday, saying athletes could be cleared if only minute traces of the drug were found in their system.

Many athletes who tested positive had argued they stopped taking meldonium, which is typically recommended for heart disease patients, before it was banned.

In the former Soviet nation of Georgia, six athletes from the national wrestling team had suspensions lifted on Friday, including Olympic silver medallist Davit Modzmanishvili.

In Russia, the national Olympic committee said eight suspensions were lifted.