Weightlifting will once again be under the doping spotlight at the Asian Games, four years after four competitors were kicked out of Doha 2006 for flouting drugs rules. At the last edition, Myanamar lifters Kyi Kyi Than and Oo Mya Sanda, a silver medallist in the 75kg division, both returned positive tests.
Uzbekistan's Elmira Ramileva also tested positive for an anabolic steroid and teammate Alexander Urinov was found to have taken cannabis. The cases prompted the usual calls for the discipline to be banned from major multi-sports events, but to no avail with authorities insisting they are winning the drugs war against cheats. But on the eve of September's weightlifting world championships in the Turkish city of Antalya, there were worrying signs that not everyone is getting the message.
The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) revealed that 19 of the 81 countries taking part had not complied with the "athletes' whereabouts" rule, the code aimed at tracking athletes for testing on specific days. "The IWF anti-doping commission discussed the issue; this was followed by an in-depth deliberation by the IWF executive board," said a statement. "The option of not allowing these countries to participate in Antalya was seriously contemplated. Finally, the board decided to issue a notice of serious warning to the 19 federations concerned, saying that this was the last time they would be allowed to take part."
Fines of 5,000 dollars were issued.
"The IWF issued another clear message to its membership that it will not tolerate any serious diversion from the track of the anti-doping fight it chose to walk on many years ago."
Asian giants India too have struggled with doping issues and went into the recent Commonwealth Games under a cloud. Their weightlifters missed the Asian Games in Doha following a 12-month ban imposed on the national federation after four athletes tested positive within a year. But India is far from being the only guilty party with the official website of the IWF currently listing the names of around 100 competitors worldwide serving doping suspensions.
On top of that, there are also 13 life bans.
It isn't just weightlifting that will be watched after a handful of failed drug tests from track and field at the Delhi Commonwealth Games, including Indian walker Rani Yadav. Sri Lanka's only gold medal winner there, boxer Manju Wanniarachchi, also found himself in trouble after testing positive for the performance-enhancing steroid nandrolone. Despite the problems, the Chinese insist they are braced to catch all cheats in Guangzhou despite having had their own setbacks in 2010. Their 2008 Olympic judo gold medallist Tong Wen was banned for two years for testing positive to clenbruterol and national 100m champion Wang Jing was banned for life after testing positive for epitestosterone. "We will organise the strictest drug tests ever for the upcoming Guangzhou Asian Games to show the world we have not relaxed our alertness since the Beijing Olympics," said the state general administration of sports (SGAS) deputy minister Duan Shijie.
Uzbekistan's Elmira Ramileva also tested positive for an anabolic steroid and teammate Alexander Urinov was found to have taken cannabis. The cases prompted the usual calls for the discipline to be banned from major multi-sports events, but to no avail with authorities insisting they are winning the drugs war against cheats. But on the eve of September's weightlifting world championships in the Turkish city of Antalya, there were worrying signs that not everyone is getting the message.
The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) revealed that 19 of the 81 countries taking part had not complied with the "athletes' whereabouts" rule, the code aimed at tracking athletes for testing on specific days. "The IWF anti-doping commission discussed the issue; this was followed by an in-depth deliberation by the IWF executive board," said a statement. "The option of not allowing these countries to participate in Antalya was seriously contemplated. Finally, the board decided to issue a notice of serious warning to the 19 federations concerned, saying that this was the last time they would be allowed to take part."
Fines of 5,000 dollars were issued.
"The IWF issued another clear message to its membership that it will not tolerate any serious diversion from the track of the anti-doping fight it chose to walk on many years ago."
Asian giants India too have struggled with doping issues and went into the recent Commonwealth Games under a cloud. Their weightlifters missed the Asian Games in Doha following a 12-month ban imposed on the national federation after four athletes tested positive within a year. But India is far from being the only guilty party with the official website of the IWF currently listing the names of around 100 competitors worldwide serving doping suspensions.
On top of that, there are also 13 life bans.
It isn't just weightlifting that will be watched after a handful of failed drug tests from track and field at the Delhi Commonwealth Games, including Indian walker Rani Yadav. Sri Lanka's only gold medal winner there, boxer Manju Wanniarachchi, also found himself in trouble after testing positive for the performance-enhancing steroid nandrolone. Despite the problems, the Chinese insist they are braced to catch all cheats in Guangzhou despite having had their own setbacks in 2010. Their 2008 Olympic judo gold medallist Tong Wen was banned for two years for testing positive to clenbruterol and national 100m champion Wang Jing was banned for life after testing positive for epitestosterone. "We will organise the strictest drug tests ever for the upcoming Guangzhou Asian Games to show the world we have not relaxed our alertness since the Beijing Olympics," said the state general administration of sports (SGAS) deputy minister Duan Shijie.
No comments:
Post a Comment