The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) has reported the lowest number of doping sanctions for over ten years, analysis by the Sports Integrity Initiative has revealed. However, the figures do not reflect the 2015 cases that are still in progress, so the number of sanctions could rise in the future. For example, the IWF also today reported that two London 2012 medal winners and a junior world record holder had returned adverse analytical findings (AAFs).

The IWF reported 25 doping sanctions in 2015, down from 36 sanctions in 2014 and 97 sanctions in 2013. It is the lowest number of sanctions reported by the IWF since records began on its internet site, in 2003. It is unclear why the number of sanctions rose to 97 during 2013 – the IWF failed to respond to the Sports Integrity Initiative’s questions.

The IWF confirmed three more adverse analytical findings (AAFs) today, following four AAFs reported earlier this week. Un Guk Kim, who took gold for North Korea in the 62kg at the London 2012 Olympics, has been provisionally suspended after returning an AAF for letrozole, a hormonal and metabolic modulator prohibited under section S4.1 of the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) 2015 Prohibited List. Valentin Hristov, who took a bronze for Azerbaijan at the London 2012 Olympics, returned an AAF for nandrolone, reported the IWF today. Compatriot Elkhan Aligulizada, who holds the junior world record at 77kg, also returned an AAF for the same substance.

The IWF Anti-Doping Commission held its annual meeting on 9 December in Lausanne, where it drew up its Anti-Doping Programme for 2016. ‘The IWF will continue its robust fight against doping using its intelligence network and the best analytical methods and will focus more on quality than quantity’, read a statement issued yesterday. ‘In the upcoming Olympic year the IWF will put special attention on the Anti-Doping related Education and will try its utmost in order to protect the clean athletes. 2015 brought several changes into the IWF Anti-Doping Program due to the new WADA Code and the fully compliant IWF Anti-Doping Policy and thanks to the application of the entourage registration and the new public disclosure guidelines the Programme become even more effective.’