Takano Athletics

Iran turns up 4th doping positive

Iranian superheavyweight Saeid Ali-Hosseini has recently turned up a positive B sample, although the result has yet to be published on the IWF website.  This means that Ali-Hosseini will join Anoush Armak, Rashid Sharifi and Omid Naiij Kenari as suspended athletes by the International Weightlifting Federation.  This total of 4 doping positives exceed the IWF limit of 3 over a 1 year period that normally triggers a two-year suspension for the offending nation.

Two-time Olympic gold medalist Hossein Rezazadeh, the caretaker of the Iranian Federation, has recently been meeting with IWF president Tamas Ajan to consult on whatever punitive actions might be taken against Iran.

Iran’s high profile weightlifting program has recently been on the verge of improving its international results, and this would be a serious setback.  Weightlifting and wrestling are considered to be the two most popular sports in Iran.  A two year suspension would mean that Iran would have to forego participation in the Asian Championships and World Championships through 2011.  The 2011 World’s will be the qualifying event for the 2012 Olympic Games scheduled for London.  Any nation not participating in 2011 will not be granted any berths among the 250 competitors scheduled for inclusion in 2012.

Indian Weightlifting Federation left on its own to raise $500,000 fine.

Both the Indian Sports Ministry and the Indian Olympic Association have turned their backs on requests from the newly reformed Indian Weightlifting Federation to provide funding to pay the $500,000 fine imposed by the International Weightlifting Federation for the seven doping positives attributed to Indian weightlifters during a 2 month span in 2009.  The fine must be paid before the Indians are considered eligible to participate in the 2010 Commonwealth Games scheduled for New Delhi.

A failure to pay the money would mean that India would become the first nation prevented from entering its own athletes in a major multisport event on its own home soil.  I believe that one of the provisions set forth by the International Weightlifting Federation in order for Indian avoid a four-year suspension was the replacement of all sitting administrators of the Indian Weightlifting Federation.  Raising such a large amount of money could prove daunting to an entire newly group of sports administrators.