IOC Sanctions 8 Athletes For Failing Anti-Doping Test

The protection of clean athletes and the fight against doping are top priorities for the International Olympic Committee (IOC), as outlined in Olympic Agenda 2020, the IOC’s strategic roadmap for the future of the Olympic Movement. To provide a level playing field for all clean athletes at the Olympic Games Rio 2016, the IOC put special measures in place, including targeted pre-tests and the re-analysis of stored samples from the Olympic Games Beijing 2008 and London 2012, following an intelligence-gathering process that started in August 2015.

As part of this process, the IOC today announced that eight athletes have been disqualified from the Olympic Games Beijing 2008 and London 2012. The details follow.

Lei CAO, 33, of China, competing in the women’s 75kg weightlifting event, in which she ranked 1st and for which she was awarded a gold medal, has been disqualified from the Olympic Games Beijing 2008. Re-analysis of Cao’s samples from Beijing 2008 resulted in a positive test for the prohibited substance GHRP-2 and metabolite (GHRP-2 M2).

The IOC Disciplinary Commission, composed for this case of Mr Denis Oswald (Chairman), Mr Juan Antonio Samaranch and Dr Ugur Erdener, decided the following:

1. The Athlete, Lei CAO:
   1. is found to have committed an anti-doping rule violation pursuant to the IOC Anti-Doping Rules applicable to the Games of the XXIX Olympiad in Beijing in 2008,
   2. is disqualified from all the events in which she participated upon the occasion of the Olympic Games Beijing 2008, namely, the women’s 75kg weightlifting event, and
   3. has the medal, the medallist pin and the diploma obtained in the women’s 75kg weightlifting event withdrawn and is ordered to return the same.
2. The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) is requested to modify the results of the above-mentioned event accordingly and to consider any further action within its own competence.
3. The Chinese Olympic Committee shall ensure full implementation of this decision.
4. The Chinese Olympic Committee shall notably secure the return to the IOC, as soon as possible, of the medal, the medallist pin and the diploma awarded in connection with the women’s 75kg weightlifting event to the Athlete.
5. This decision enters into force immediately.

The full decision is available here

Xiexia CHEN, 34, of China, competing in the women’s 48kg weightlifting event, in which she ranked 1st and for which she was awarded a gold medal, has been disqualified from the Olympic Games Beijing 2008. Re-analysis of Chen’s samples from Beijing 2008 resulted in a positive test for the prohibited substance GHRP-2 and metabolite (GHRP-2 M2).

The IOC Disciplinary Commission, composed for this case of Mr Denis Oswald (Chairman), Mr Juan Antonio Samaranch and Dr Ugur Erdener, decided the following:

1. The Athlete, Xiexia CHEN:
   1. is found to have committed an anti-doping rule violation pursuant to the IOC Anti-Doping Rules applicable to the Games of the XXIX Olympiad in Beijing in 2008,
   2. is disqualified from all the events in which she participated upon the occasion of the Olympic Games Beijing 2008, namely, the women’s 48kg weightlifting event, and
   3. has the medal, the medallist pin and the diploma obtained in the women’s 48kg weightlifting event withdrawn and is ordered to return the same.
2. The IWF is requested to modify the results of the above-mentioned event accordingly and to consider any further action within its own competence.
3. The Chinese Olympic Committee shall ensure full implementation of this decision.
4. The Chinese Olympic Committee shall notably secure the return to the IOC, as soon as possible, of the medal, the medallist pin and the diploma awarded in connection with the women’s 48kg weightlifting event to the Athlete.
5. This decision enters into force immediately.

The full decision is available here

Chunhong LIU, 31, of China, competing in the women’s 69kg weightlifting event, in which she ranked 1st and for which she was awarded a gold medal, has been disqualified from the Olympic Games Beijing 2008. Re-analysis of Liu’s samples from Beijing 2008 resulted in a positive test for the prohibited substances GHRP-2 and metabolite (GHRP-2 M2), and sibutramine.

The IOC Disciplinary Commission, composed for this case of Mr Denis Oswald (Chairman), Mr Juan Antonio Samaranch and Dr Ugur Erdener, decided the following:

1. The Athlete, Chunhong LIU:
   1. is found to have committed an anti-doping rule violation pursuant to the IOC Anti-Doping Rules applicable to the Games of the XXIX Olympiad in Beijing in 2008,
   2. is disqualified from all the events in which she participated upon the occasion of the Olympic Games Beijing 2008, namely, the women’s 69kg weightlifting event, and
   3. has the medal, the medallist pin and the diploma obtained in the women’s 69kg weightlifting event withdrawn and is ordered to return the same.
2. The IWF is requested to modify the results of the above-mentioned event accordingly and to consider any further action within its own competence.
3. The Chinese Olympic Committee shall ensure full implementation of this decision.
4. The Chinese Olympic Committee shall notably secure the return to the IOC, as soon as possible, of the medal, the medallist pin and the diploma awarded in connection with the women’s 69kg weightlifting event to the Athlete.
5. This decision enters into force immediately.

The full decision is available here

Nadzeya OSTAPCHUK, 36, of Belarus, competing in the women’s shot put event, in which she ranked 3rd and for which she was awarded a bronze medal, has been disqualified from the Olympic Games Beijing 2008. Re-analysis of Ostapchuk’s samples from Beijing 2008 resulted in a positive test for the prohibited substances dehydrochlormethyltestosterone (turinabol) and tamoxifen.
The IOC Disciplinary Commission, composed for this case of Mr Denis Oswald (Chairman), Mr Juan Antonio Samaranch and Dr Ugur Erdener, decided the following:

1. The Athlete, Nadzeya OSTAPCHUK:
   1. is found to have committed an anti-doping rule violation pursuant to the IOC Anti-Doping Rules applicable to the Games of the XXIX Olympiad in Beijing in 2008 (presence and/or use, of a Prohibited Substance or its Metabolites or Markers in an athlete’s bodily specimen),
   2. is disqualified from the Women’s shot put event in which she participated upon the occasion of the Olympic Games Beijing 2008,
   3. has the medal, the medallist pin and the diploma obtained in the Women’s shot put event withdrawn and is ordered to return the same.
2. The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) is requested to modify the results of the above-mentioned event accordingly and to consider any further action within its own competence.
3. The National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Belarus shall ensure full implementation of this decision.
4. The National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Belarus shall notably secure the return to the IOC, as soon as possible, of the medal, the medallist pin and the diploma awarded in connection with the women’s shot put event.
5. This decision enters into force immediately.

The full decision is available here

Darya PCHELNIK, 36, of Belarus, competing in the women’s hammer throw event, (qualification and final) in which she ranked 4th and for which she was awarded a diploma, has been disqualified from the Olympic Games Beijing 2008. Re-analysis of Pchelnik’s samples from Beijing 2008 resulted in a positive test for the prohibited substances dehydrochlormethyltestosterone (turinabol).
The IOC Disciplinary Commission, composed for this case of Mr Denis Oswald (Chairman), Mr Juan Antonio Samaranch and Dr Ugur Erdener, decided the following:

1. The Athlete, Darya PCHELNIK:
   1. is found to have committed an anti-doping rule violation pursuant to the IOC Anti-Doping Rules applicable to the Games of the XXIX Olympiad in Beijing in 2008 (presence and/or use, of a Prohibited Substance or its Metabolites or Markers in an athlete’s bodily specimen),
   2. is disqualified from the women’s hammer throw event in which she participated upon the occasion of the Olympic Games Beijing 2008,
   3. has the diploma obtained in the women’s hammer throw event withdrawn and is ordered to return the same.
2. The IAAF is requested to modify the results of the above-mentioned event accordingly and to consider any further action within its own competence.
3. The National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Belarus shall ensure full implementation of this decision.
4. The National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Belarus shall notably secure the return to the IOC, as soon as possible, of the diploma awarded in connection with the women’s hammer throw event to the Athlete.
5. This decision enters into force immediately.

The full decision is available here

Sibel SIMSEK, 32, of Turkey, competing in the women’s 63kg weightlifting event, in which she ranked 4th and for which she was awarded a diploma, has been disqualified from the Olympic Games London 2012. Re-analysis of Simsek’s samples from London 2012 resulted in a positive test for the prohibited substances dehydrochlormethyltestosterone (turinabol) and stanozolol.
The IOC Disciplinary Commission, composed for this case of Mr Denis Oswald (Chairman), Mr Juan Antonio Samaranch and Mrs Gunilla Lindberg, decided the following:

1. The Athlete, Sibel Simsek:
   1. is found to have committed an anti-doping rule violation pursuant to the IOC Anti-Doping Rules applicable to the Games of the XXX Olympiad in London in 2012 (presence, and/or use, of Prohibited Substances or its Metabolites or Markers in an athlete’s bodily specimen),
   2. is disqualified from the women’s 63kg weightlifting event in which she participated upon the occasion of the Olympic Games London 2012,
   3. has the diploma obtained in the women’s 63kg weightlifting event withdrawn and is order to return the same.
2. The IWF is requested to modify the results of the above-mentioned event accordingly and to consider any further action within its own competence.
3. The Turkish Olympic Committee shall ensure full implementation of this decision.
4. The Turkish Olympic Committee shall notably secure the return to the IOC, as soon as possible, of the diploma awarded in connection with the women’s 63kg weightlifting event to the Athlete.
5. This decision enters into force immediately.

The full decision is available here

Intigam ZAIROV, 31, of Azerbaijan, competing in the men’s 94kg weightlifting event, in which he ranked 6th and for which he was awarded a diploma, has been disqualified from the Olympic Games London 2012. Re-analysis of Zairov’s samples from London 2012 resulted in a positive test for the prohibited substances dehydrochlormethyltestosterone (turinabol).
The IOC Disciplinary Commission, composed for this case of Mr Denis Oswald (Chairman), Mr Juan Antonio Samaranch and Dr Ugur Erdener, decided the following:

1. The Athlete, Intigam ZAIROV:
   1. is found to have committed an anti-doping rule violation pursuant to the IOC Anti-Doping Rules applicable to the Games of the XXX Olympiad in London in 2012 (presence, and/or use, of Prohibited Substances or its Metabolites or Markers in an athlete’s bodily specimen),
   2. is disqualified from the men’s 94kg weightlifting event in which he participated upon the occasion of the Olympic Games London 2012,
   3. has the diploma obtained in the men’s 94kg weightlifting event withdrawn and is order to return the same.
2. The IWF is requested to modify the results of the above-mentioned event accordingly and to consider any further action within its own competence.
3. The National Olympic Committee of the Azerbaijani Republic shall ensure full implementation of this decision.
4. The National Olympic Committee of the Azerbaijani Republic shall notably secure the return to the IOC, as soon as possible, of the diploma awarded in connection with the men’s 94kg weightlifting event to the Athlete.
5. This decision enters into force immediately.

The full decision is available here

Norayr VARDANYAN, 29, of Armenia, competing in the men’s 94kg weightlifting event, in which he ranked 11th, has been disqualified from the Olympic Games London 2012. Re-analysis of Vardanyan’s samples from London 2012 resulted in a positive test for the prohibited substances dehydrochlormethyltestosterone (turinabol).
The IOC Disciplinary Commission, composed for this case of Mr Denis Oswald (Chairman), Mr Juan Antonio Samaranch and Dr Ugur Erdener, decided the following:

1. The Athlete, Norayr VARDANYAN:
   1. is found to have committed an anti-doping rule violation pursuant to the IOC Anti-Doping Rules applicable to the Games of the XXX Olympiad in London in 2012 (presence, and/or use, of Prohibited Substances or its Metabolites or Markers in an athlete’s bodily specimen),
   2. is disqualified from the men’s 94kg weightlifting event in which he participated upon the occasion of the Olympic Games London 2012,
2. The IWF is requested to modify the results of the above-mentioned event accordingly and to consider any further action within its own competence.
3. The National Olympic Committee of Armenia shall ensure full implementation of this decision.
4. This decision enters into force immediately.

The full decision is available here

The additional analyses on samples collected during the Olympic Games Beijing 2008 and London 2012 were performed with improved analytical methods, in order to possibly detect prohibited substances that could not be identified by the analysis performed at the time of these editions of the Olympic Games.

For further details, please consult the following factsheet.

News courtesy of International Olympic Committee.