MOSCOW -- Maria Sharapovas ban for taking the banned substance meldonium has been reduced from two years to 15 months.Although the drug led to a spate of positive tests from dozens of athletes, mostly in Eastern Europe, when it was banned for 2016, Sharapova is the only athlete serving a ban.Here are some of the key issues surrounding meldonium:---Q: What is meldonium?A: A Latvian-made drug available over the counter in Russia and other Eastern European and ex-Soviet countries, often without a prescription. The drugs manufacturer, Grindeks, says it is mostly aimed at people with heart conditions, though it can also be used for physical and psycho-emotional overload in otherwise healthy people. Meldoniums inventor, chemist Ivars Kalvins, has said it was given to Soviet soldiers fighting in Afghanistan to boost their stamina. However, Grindeks and Kalvins argue it shouldnt be banned in sports, with the manufacturer saying that it cannot improve athletic performance, but it can stop tissue damage during intense exercise. Sharapova said she took meldonium for a decade for reasons including a magnesium deficiency, family history of diabetes and dizziness. Meldonium is usually known by the brand name mildronate, though other names have been used.---Q: How was it banned?A: The World Anti-Doping Agency said in September 2015 that meldonium would be banned as of Jan. 1, 2016, and published information on its website. A study conducted at the European Games in June 2015 and later published by the British Journal of Sports Medicine found 66 of 762 athletes taking meldonium, which the authors called excessive and inappropriate use ... in a generally heathy athlete population. After WADAs announcement, the International Tennis Federation notified players of changes to the list of banned substances by e-mail and using a wallet card distributed at tournaments, though CAS ruled Tuesday that this was inadequate. Sharapova tested positive at the Australian Open in January and said she was not aware meldonium had been banned.---Q: Who else tested positive?A: After meldonium was banned, there were more than 170 failed tests by athletes, almost all from Eastern European countries, including Olympic medalists in sports ranging from figure skating to wrestling. Heavyweight boxer Alexander Povetkin of Russia saw his world title challenge called off after a failed test for meldonium.---Q: What happened to athletes who tested positive?A: Almost all of the cases were dropped when athletes insisted they had stopped taking meldonium in 2015, before it was banned. The usually low concentrations of the drug in their samples backed up that argument, and WADA accepted findings of no fault or negligence in those cases. WADA also admitted it hadnt known enough about how long it took meldonium to leave an athletes system. Sharapovas case was not dropped because she had continued taking meldonium after it was banned and the concentration in her sample was comparatively high.---Q: What next?A: WADA confirmed last week that meldonium remains on the banned list for 2017. WADAs grace period for athletes who tested positive for low doses expired Friday, so any amount of the drug now triggers a positive test. Cheap Calgary Flames Jerseys . With Parker having a quiet game for once, Nicolas Batum and Boris Diaw provided the scoring as France won its first major basketball title by beating Lithuania 80-66 on Sunday. 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A try-scoring double from Wallabies winger Dane Haylett-Petty put them within striking distance, but Western Force let a third win of the season slip away, losing 30-29 to the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.Replacement fly-half Peter Grant horribly shanked an 80th-minute penalty attempt to win the game, and the Force then put 23 phases together after the final siren, only to cough up possession and allow the home side to put the ball into touch.After Israel Folau enjoyed another day out at outside centre in the Waratahs big win over the Sunwolves in Tokyo, the exceptional game of Wallabies teammate Haylett-Petty at full-back for the Force will ensure discussions only intensify on whether Folau should wear the gold No.13 jersey.Haylett-Petty was the standout player on the field, running for 209 metres, scoring an outstanding individual try in the 50th minute after a quick lineout throw 60 metres out, and crossing 15 minutes later from a scrum set-play that put the Force well within sight of the win.Two Grant penalties saw the Force take the lead for the first time with seven minutes to play, only to lose it again with three minutes on the clock.Just for us in thee first half, it was a bit inaccurate, Haylett-Petty said, as he collected their man of the match award.ddddddddddddCredit to the Cheetahs, they really ran us around and got us blowing. We came out firing in that second half and tried to claw our way back, but you just cant come back from 17 points down.We just let them have too many easy turnovers in that first half and that forced us to defend for too long. We held onto the ball in the second half for longer passages, and were able to score some points.The Force were rocked by the late withdrawal of Wallabies lock Adam Coleman shortly before kick-off, and the Cheetahs enjoyed ascendancy from the first scrum of the night, only further magnified when the West Australians lost prop Tetera Faulkner after 20 minutes.Defence was the major issue in the first half, the Force conceding four tries and a 27-10 scoreline as the teams went to the sheds. 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