Russian Povetkin tests positive for meldonium

2:56 PM ET

Heavyweight contender Alexander Povetkin has tested positive for the banned substance meldonium, putting his mandatory shot at world titleholder Deontay Wilder in jeopardy.

Russia’s Povetkin, who is supposed to challenge Wilder in a much-anticipated bout on May 21 at the Khodynka Ice Palace in Moscow, tested positive for the substance in a urine test conducted by the Las Vegas-based Voluntary Anti-Doping Association on April 27, according to the agency’s report, which was issued Friday and first obtained by ESPN.com.

VADA president Dr. Margaret Goodman sent a letter Friday informing both camps as well as the WBC, whose title Wilder holds, of the positive test.

“This letter is to advise you that the ‘A’ sample urine specimen number 3969608 collected from Alexander Povetkin on April 27, 2016 in Chekhov, Russia through his participation in the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) program has been analyzed for anabolic agents, diuretics, beta-2 agonists, stimulants and drugs of abuse,” Goodman wrote. “The results of the analysis are as follows: Adverse. Urine specimen contains meldonium.”

The report also included a copy of the laboratory report.

“Mr. Povetkin has the right to promptly request analysis of the ‘B’ sample at his expense,” Goodman wrote. “Please be aware that VADA does not adjudicate results nor determine whether sanctions are appropriate. As with all results, adverse findings are reported to the relevant commission(s) who may make such determinations.”

Russian heavyweight Alexander Povetkin, who has tested positive for meldonium, is scheduled to fight Deontay Wilder on May 21 at the Khodynka Ice Palace in Moscow. Dmitry Korotayev/Epsilon/Getty Images

Meldonium, the same drug for which tennis star Maria Sharapova recently tested positive for, was approved to be added to the banned substance list by the World Anti-Doping Agency in September and the ban went into effect Jan. 1. Meldonium is used because it is said to increase blood flow and carry more oxygen to muscles and, therefore, enhance stamina, a trait boxers would want in a long fight.

Povetkin’s levels were said to be very low but it remains to be seen if the fight will be canceled.

“Traces of extremely low concentration of meldonium have been found in his blood. He consumed it in September last year,” Povetkin promoter Andrey Ryabinsky of World of Boxing said, according to the Russian TASS news agency. “He has not taken it since Jan. 1. The …

continue reading in source espn.go.com