Earlier today, the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) announced on its website recent doping retests from the 2012 London Olympic Games have produced an additional five positives for banned substances. The named athletes and detected violations are listed below as outlined on IWF.net’s public disclosure:
- Ms. Meline DALUZYAN (ARM) – Dehydrochloromethyltestosterone and Stanozolol (S1.1 Anabolic Agents)
- Mr. Valentin HRISTOV (AZE) – Dehydrochloromethyltestosterone (S1.1 Anabolic Agents)
- Mr. Mikalai NOVIKAU (BLR) – Dehydrochloromethyltestosterone and Stanozolol (S1.1 Anabolic Agents)
- Mr. Oleksiy TOROKHTIY (UKR) – Dehydrochloromethyltestosterone (S1.1 Anabolic Agents)
- Mr. Ruslan NURUDINOV (UZB) – Dehydrochloromethyltestosterone (S1.1 Anabolic Agents)
Torokhtiy (Gold, 105kg) and Hristov (Bronze, 56kg) both finished on the podium in London; if upheld, the results of these retests could mean they are stripped of their medals and placement, pending decisions from the International Olympic Committee. Nurudinov finished in 4th place in London in his bodyweight category, and Novikau finished in 8th place. Daluzyan did not post a successful total at the 2012 Olympic Games.
Nuridinov would go on to win Gold at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. The status of his placement there may be in doubt following these retests. He most recently competed at the 2018 Weightlifting World Championships in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. At that competition, he was unable to complete a lift in the snatch portion of the competition but did win a bronze medal in the clean & jerk.
Each athlete now faces a mandatory provisional suspension from the sport. Hristov is currently serving a ban until 2023 after testing positive for a banned substance during the 2015 Weightlifting World Championships in Houston. Torokhtiy — now a popular coach and content creator in the weightlifting space — has been retired from competition for several years.
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A number of weightlifters from the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games were suspended prior to the 2016 Rio Olympic Games after doping retests returned positives not originally detected during those competitions.
Featured image: @iwfnet on Instagram
