Nine countries have been suspended from attending the (IWF) World Weightlifting Championships after they tested positive to enhancement drugs. Countries with at least three doping offenses from those Olympics were suspended.
This decision by the International Weightlifting Federation followed the retesting of anti-doping samples from the 2008 and 2012 Olympics and the Russian anti-doping scandal intensified doping concerns in international competition.
The IWF perused the suspensions before last year’s Olympics, unfortunately the process was held up due to legal challenges.
The WWF has vowed to work harder than ever to keep them drug-free.
In a statement published on their official website, the IWF wrote that they expect a “record number of anti-doping tests” and outlined how the organization is preparing for the first WWC since 2015.
China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Moldova, Turkey and Ukraine are amonst the countries that are suspended and will not be taking part in the IWF 2017 World Championships. “We have made it clear that the incidence of doping in some areas is totally unacceptable and that our members have a responsibility to ensure clean sport in their countries,” IWF president Tamas Ajan said in a statement. “If they do not fulfill their responsibilities to ensure their lifters are clean then they will lose their right to participate. But we will not turn our backs on them; we will continue to work with them, [the World Anti-Doping Agency], and their national anti-doping agencies to support their anti-doping activities and help make cultural change.”
Even though the event hasn’t started yet the anti-doping committee has already started testing the athletes. 584 athletes are scheduled to participate and 288 tests had been carried out, representing 49% of the athletes. Both urine and blood samples are being tested.
The testing is taking place alongside outreach and educational programs that are being organized in conjunction with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the Clean Sport Commission.