Russian weightlifters banned from Rio

BUDAPEST, Hungary – All of Russia’s weightlifters were banned from the Rio Olympics on Friday for doping for what the international federation called “extremely shocking” results that brought the sport into “disrepute.”

The eight competition spots have been offered to other countries.

The International Weightlifting Federation said the “integrity of the weightlifting sport has been seriously damaged on multiple times and levels by the Russians.” It said the punishment was an “appropriate sanction” to “preserve the status of the sport.”

The IWF described the doping results as “extremely shocking and disappointing.”

Weightlifting became the second sport after track and field to issue blanket bans on Russian athletes. Other sports – including rowing, wrestling, modern pentathlon and sailing – have banned one or more Russians from competing in Rio de Janeiro, but not all of the country’s eligible athletes.

To replace the eight Russian lifters in Rio, five countries were offered places in the men’s competition – Belarus, Croatia, El Salvador, Mongolia and Serbia. For the women, Albania, Georgia and Moldova became eligible. Because of the lateness of the decision, the IWF said it was not clear whether all the spots would be filled

The IWF said retests of samples from seven Russian weightlifters who took part in the 2008 Beijing Olympics or 2012 London Olympics resulted in positive tests.