Russian and Chinese weightlifters banned from competition for one year for doping

Nine countries have been banned from international competition for the next year by the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF), including the world championships in California this November.

Along with Russia and China, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Turkey and Ukraine were among the sanctioned countries. They had at least three athletes tested positive for doping from the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) retested hundreds of samples. The IOC used new methods to expose the tricks that had eluded them in previous years.

In early 2017, three Chinese weightlifters were found guilty of doping and were asked to return the medals they won at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Cao Lei won the gold medal in the women's 75kg category. Chen Xiexia won the women's 48kg category, and Liu Chunhong also won the women's 69kg category.

Cao Lei won a gold medal at the 2018 Olympics and was found positive for doping. Photo: Reuters.

The IWF announced last year that any country that has three or more athletes caught doping will be banned for a year. “We agree that doping in sport is unacceptable. Our member countries have a responsibility to ensure the integrity of their sport,” said IWF president Tamas Ajan.

Responding to the punishment, Russian weightlifting coach Oleg Pissarevski said: "They have no right to punish like that. Why are they trying to kill the development of weightlifting in our country? We have changed the leaders of the federation. Those who were guilty have been replaced. We strictly follow the rules, carry out 60 tests a week. Our athletes have prepared seriously and now they are in tears."

Russia was also banned from weightlifting at the 2016 Rio Olympics, after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) discovered state-sponsored doping in the country.

According to VNE