Update: The IWF has released a statement regarding the positive tests from London and Beijing, reiterating that there were 20 total (10 from each iteration of the Games) and that these included some medal winners. However, the weightlifting governing body is holding off on releasing names — or more statements of any kind — until the IOC and World Anti-Doping Agency procedures are fully carried out. From the IWF site:
The IWF will follow the obligatory procedure set by its Anti-Doping Policy and by the WADA Code and proceed to the provisional suspension of the athletes as soon as the IOC procedures concluded.
No further comments will be provided until the final decisions are pronounced.
In potentially ground-shaking weightlifting news leading up to the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, Iranian outlet farsnews.com reports that IWF President Tamas Ajan — currently in Iran for the Fajr Grand Prix qualification event — has confirmed five recent Olympic champions have positive samples in the wake of urine retests.
The report has since been picked up on several news outlets worldwide. Last week, we found out two Russian medalists from Beijing have received bans after retests found positive samples. But Ajan has specifically noted it’s five gold medalists — four from London, one from Beijing — with newfound positive tests, which would likely lead to them being prohibited from competing in Rio (and having their Olympic gold medals stripped).
Ajan and the IWF haven’t named names just yet. We’ve assembled the full list of weightlifting gold medalists from Beijing and London below; Ajan’s statement indicates five of the below listers will lose their medals and eligibility for Rio (at least).
Stay tuned for more news as it comes.
Olympic weightlifting champions from Beijing:
Women:
Chen Xiexia, 48kg, China
Prapawadee Jaroenrattanatarakoon, 53kg, Thailand
Chen Yanqing, 58kg, China
Pak Hyon-suk, 63kg, China
Liu Chunhong, 69kg, China
Cao Lei, 75kg, China
Jang Mi-ran, +75kg, South Korea
Men:
Long Qingquan, 56kg, China
Zhang Xiangxiang, 62kg, China
Liao Hui, 69kg, China
Sa Jae-hyouk, 77kg, South Korea
Lu Yong, 85kg, China
Ilya Ilyin, 94kg, Kazakhstan
Andrei Aramnau, 105kg, Belarus
Matthias Steiner, +105kg, Germany
Olympic weightlifting champions from London:
Women:
Wang Mingjuan, 48kg, China
Zulfiya Chinshanlo, 53kg, Kazakhstan
Li Xueying, 58kg, China
Maiya Maneza, 63kg, Kazakhstan
Rim Jong-sim, 69kg, North Korea
Svetlana Podobedova, 75kg, Kazakhstan
Zhou Lulu, +75kg, China
Men:
Om Yun-chol, 56kg, North Korea
Kim Un-guk, 62kg, North Korea
Lin Qingfeng, 69kg, China
Lu Xiaojun, 77kg, China
Adrian Zielinksi, 85kg, Poland
Ilya Ilyin, 94kg, Kazakhstan
Oleksiy (Aleksey) Torokhtiy, 105kg, Ukraine
Behdad Salimi, +105kg, Iran
