Tainted lifters back to Olympic battle
AFP - Eight weightlifters who previously served doping bans have won medals at Rio while others have been sent home for failed tests, highlighting again the scandal-plagued sport’s battle with drugs.
Gold Medallists Nijat Rahimov of Kazakhstan, Iran’s Sohrab Moradi and Sukanya Srisurat of Thailand all spent two years banned from the sport after testing positive for illegal substances.
Another four weightlifters caught doping earlier in their careers have claimed bronze medals in Brazil as has one silver medallist. Four athletes, including a Polish Olympic champion, were withdrawn from the competition for testing positive.
Thirteen golds have been awarded with two still to come.
“People do cheat,” said American weightlifter Kendrick Farris.
“Hopefully they’ll continue to do the work they’re doing and we’ll get more athletes competing clean,” he added, referring to governing body the International Weightlifting Federation.
Weightlifting has long been afflicted by doping scandals and the IWF has undertaken a major crackdown on performance-enhancing drugs.
It has led the way on anti-doping measures that are now being adopted by other sports, such as publicly naming athletes after their initial ‘A’ sample tests positive.
The IWF banned Russia and Bulgaria, both traditional powerhouses, from competing in the weightlifting at the Rio Olympics for repeated doping offences.
It punished North Korea, Romania, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan and Moldova as well by reducing their allocation of lifters.