Russian weightlifter and 2012 London Olympic Silver Medalist Apti Aukhadov has been ordered to return his medal, according to Inside the Games. Aukhadov competed in weightlifting in the men’s 85kg category, winning silver at only 19 years of age.
Earlier this summer, Aukhadov was among the nearly 50 weightlifters from the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games to be implicated for doping after sample retests. Aukhadov — who tested positive for turinabol and drostanolone — has now officially been asked to return his medal from London.
Iran’s Kianoush Rostami — the Rio Olympic Champion in the 85kg weight class — finished third at the 2012 Olympics but now looks to be moving into second place in the official standings. Egypt’s Tarek Yehia stands to move into third place, putting him on the podium. Poland’s Adrian Zieliński was the 2012 Olympic Champion at 85kg.
Aukhadov — who is currently suspended from international competition — has been one of Russia’s top weightlifters on the international stage for around five years. In addition to his performance in London, he was the 2013 World and European Champion, and he finished third at last year’s World Weightlifting Championships in Houston, Texas. Whether his results from those competitions will be allowed to stand remains to be seen.
The entire Russian weightlifting team faces an international competition ban beginning sometime later this year. No Russian weightlifters — regardless of individual status and doping tests — were permitted to compete at the Rio Olympics
Featured image: @aukhadov on Instagram
