Two More Beijing Weightlifting Medalists Suspended After Retests

The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) has announced three additional weightlifting competitors at the 2008 Beijing Olympics — including one silver medalist and one bronze medalist — have tested positive for anabolic agents after sample retests.

This announcement comes just a few weeks after more doping retests from both the London and Beijing Games resulted in provisional suspensions (and potential medal loss) of several well-known weightlifters. Lifters provisionally suspended in June include two-time Olympic Champion Ilya Ilyin (London and Beijing Olympic Games), Marina Shainova (Beijing), and Apti Aukhadov (London).

The IWF has also moved to suspend three national federations for a period of one year due to repeated doping violations.

The three additional weightlifters to test positive from Beijing retests are:

Tigran G. Martirosyan (69kg Bronze Medalist, Armenia; not to be confused with Tigran V. Martirosyan, also of Armenia, who won bronze in the 85kg category at the same Olympic Games)
Sardar Hasanov (62kg, Azerbaijan)
Sibel Ozkan (48kg Silver Medalist, Turkey)

Martirosyan is the 2010 World Champion in the 77kg weight class and more recently finished second at the 2016 European Weightlifting Championships. He is the 2015 European Champion.

Hasanov moved up to 69kg at the 2012 London Olympics and finished in 8th place.

Ozkan is the two-time reigning European Championship in the 48kg weight class, having won gold in both 2015 and 2016. She was ostensibly a favorite for a medal heading into the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. Below is a clip of part of her performance at the 2015 European Championship, which she would go on to win.

The IWF public disclosure announced the three lifters tested positive for the following anabolic agents:

The organization has not announced whether or not there will be additional retest-based suspensions prior to the Rio Games, which begin on August 5th.

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