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≡ ITA RE-TEST REPORT ≡
The International Testing Agency began its re-examination of samples collected from the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in December of 2023 and announced Thursday some new positives, with seven athletes shown to have committed doping violations during the Games:
● Rafael Buzacarini (BRA: judo): placed ninth in the men’s 100 kg class.
● Soslan Daurov (BLR: wrestling): placed 15th in the Greco-Roman 59 kg class.
● Aurimas Dldzballs (LTU: weightlifting): bronze medalist in the men’s 94 kg class. If finally and officially disqualified, fourth-placer Sarat Sumpradit (THA) would be in line to receive the bronze medal.
● Ivan Efrimov (UZB: weightlifting): placed fifth in the men’s +105 kg class.
● Eseaa El-Sayed (EGY: weightlifting): placed seventh in the women’s 63 kg class.
● Ivet Lalova (BUL: athletics): placed eighth in the women’s 200 m.
● Ahmed Saad (EGY: weightlifting): placed fifth in the men’s 62 kg class.
So, four of the seven were in weightlifting, with athletics, judo and wrestling each with one. No country had more than one. Three others had been announced previously – in weightlifting (2) and cycling (1) – for a total of 10 so far from Rio 2016.
The ITA announcement explained that all of these positives were for anabolic steroids:
“The majority of these positive re-analysis results are mainly due to technical advances, including the development of new detection methods and improvements in analytical sensitivity for the detection of new steroid metabolites, which were not available at the time of the initial analysis. The re-analysis of the samples was conducted by the WADA-accredited laboratories of Lausanne, Switzerland, and Cologne, Germany.”
The next step, per the ITA:
“The athletes have been informed of their respective cases. They each have the right to request the analysis of their B-sample. If the B-sample analysis is requested and confirms the result of the A-sample, or if the B-sample analysis is not requested, the cases will proceed as a confirmed anti-doping rule violation.”
The cases will then be referred to the Anti-Doping Division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
This is the fourth major re-evaluation of testing results. The re-analysis of London 2012 samples revealed 73 violations which led to the withdrawal of 31 medals and re-allocation of medals in athletics, canoeing, weightlifting and wrestling.
All together, there were 82 doping violations in 2012, the most ever. The total from Rio 2016 was eight, with 10 more announced for a total (so far) of 18. The ITA statement noted that the re-analysis program was “near completion,” in line with the 10-year term of limitations.
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