The BJSM study, based on information volunteered by athletes and medical teams as well as drugs tests, did not identify those who tested positive or their nationalities but did include a sport-by-sport breakdown of positive tests.

Of 762 urine samples analysed during the Games and its pre-competition period, meldonium was detected in 66.

The study concluded that were that representative of the 5,632 athletes who took part, it would mean 490 had been on the drug – although the authors admitted that was likely to be an overestimate because it was only licensed for use in seven of the 21 competing countries.

The report concluded: “These findings highlight the excessive and inappropriate use and prescribing of this prescription drug in a generally healthy athlete population.”

The research also revealed that, of the 66 who tested positive, only 23 declared they were using meldonium – even though it was perfectly legal to do so – while just two national Olympic committees declared they were importing it into Azerbaijan.

The report said: “The significant under-declaration of meldonium use by athletes raises suspicion that many athletes did not want to let the anti-doping authorities to know about their use of meldonium.

“The doping control form, which the athletes completed at the time of sample collection at the Baku Games specifically asked the individual athlete to ‘list all medications and nutritional supplements taken during the past seven days’; all of the athletes then signed a declaration on the form stating that the information they have given on the document is correct.