Six Russian Weightlifters Banned From Competition For Doping

The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) says six Russian weightlifters have been banned from competition for doping violations.

The punishments were based on evidence of cheating obtained by the World Anti-Doping Agency's investigation of samples taken from the Moscow laboratory at the center of the Russian doping scandal that erupted in 2014, the IWF said in statement on October 8.

Dmitry Lapikov received the heaviest sanction -- a competition ban until August 2026.

The 38-year-old was a bronze medalist at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, 2009 world silver medalist, and 2011 European champion.

Maksim Sheiko, European silver medalist in 2012 and 2013, was banned for six years.

Ruslan Albegov, bronze medalist at London 2012 and a two-time world champion, Egor Klimonov, Yuliya Konovalova, and Tima Turieva received four-year bans.

Eight other cases "are currently pending,” the IWF said, adding that three further Russian athletes had been provisionally suspended -- also on doping charges.

IWF acting President Ursula Papandrea said the decisions "are proof that the anti-doping system has become significantly stronger in recent years, notably thanks to WADA's powers to investigate."

The IWF "will continue to play its part…in doing all it can to protect clean weightlifters and promote clean weightlifting," she added.

WADA is in the process of analyzing data retrieved earlier this year from the Moscow laboratory and submitting the results to international sports federations.

The doping scandal resulted in Team Russia's ban from international competition, including the 2016 Olympics and 2018 Winter Olympics.

With reporting by AFP and the BBC