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IWF Welcomes ITA Prosecution of Weightlifting Anti-Doping Rule Violations

19 January 2021, Lausanne; The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) welcomed the news from the ITA (International Testing Agency) that it is prosecuting anti-doping rule violations (ADRVs) against three weightlifters. The prosecutions follow investigations into doping within weightlifting by German broadcaster ARD, by Professor Richard McLaren on behalf of the ITA, and by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

“Placing our trust in the independent professionals of the ITA has been vital in restoring the credibility of weightlifting’s anti-doping efforts and the latest news is a further reminder that we are on the right track,” said IWF Interim President Dr Michael Irani. “The announcement of these prosecutions is a welcome development. There should be no place in our sport for doping.”

In its release yesterday [https://ita.sport/], the ITA confirmed cases against Rattikan GULNOI (THA), Dumitru CAPTARI (ROU) and Nijat RAHIMOV (KAZ). The ADRV against Gulnoi is for prohibited substance abuse throughout her career. The ADRVs against Captari and Rahimov are for urine substitution in 2016. All the athletes are provisionally suspended pending resolution of their respective affairs.

“The IWF is grateful to the ITA for this follow-up of the outstanding investigations and intelligence, resulting in the ADRVs announced today and with the understanding that further cases may be forthcoming,” continued Irani. “Empowering the ITA to continue working towards the protection of clean weightlifters and the promotion of clean weightlifting, with a renewed contract through to 2024, was an easy decision for us to make last October. Alongside the creation of an independent Disciplinary and Ethics Commission and comprehensive governance reform being prepared under independent legal leadership, the independent delivery of the IWF’s anti-doping programme amply demonstrates how we are writing a welcome new chapter in our sport’s history.”