Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko has said he plans to make it illegal for officials to publicly report when an athlete has a failed drugs test.
Russian sport in recent months has been embroiled in numerous doping scandals. Maria Sharapova is currently provisionally banned from tennis after failing a drugs test at the Australian Open. Russia's athletics federation is currently banned from taking part in international competition.
Tablets and vials of Meldonium. (AP Photo/James Ellingworth)
According to the Associated Press, Mutko told Russia's state broadcaster that "noise and uproar" occurs when names are leaked to the public. "We're now going to administratively and criminally forbid" the leaking of names before a B sample is released.
Mutko also revealed that at least 27 Russians (including Sharapova) had tested positive for Meldonium since it was banned January 1st, about a third of all cases worldwide.
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