Egypt weightlifters out of world championships after doping ban
Egypt
weightlifters out of world championships after doping ban
Egyptian
weightlifters have been barred from the world championships which began in
Thailand on Wednesday following a doping ban announced by the International
Weightlifting Federation.
The
Egyptians have been hit with a two-year suspension, starting on September 12.
The Egyptian
federation “has 21 days to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)”,
said the IWF in a statement sent to AFP.
If CAS upholds the ruling, Egypt could also be barred from competing at the
Tokyo Olympics next year. The suspension follows a series of seven positive
doping tests for young weightlifters in 2016. Under IWF rules, any federation
with at least three positive controls over a one-year period faces a two-year
suspension.
Egypt has been a stronghold for weightlifting over the years,
yielding 11 medals, including five gold, out of a total of 31 medals won in the
country’s 22 Olympic participations. Egypt earned two bronze medals at the Rio
2016 Olympic Games, thanks to Mohamed Ihab Mahmoud (-77 kg) and Sara Ahmed in
the women’s (-69 kg). Both are medal hopes next summer in Tokyo if the ban is
lifted.
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