The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) has provisionally suspended two weightlifters for potentially violating its anti-doping rules. The first is Russian Oleg Chen, who the IWF said ‘has been charged with the violation of Article 2.2 of the IWF Anti-Doping Policy’, which relates to use or attempted use of a prohibited substance or method.

Chen took silver in the -69kg category at the 2017 European Weightlifting Championships in Split, 2-8 April, and was European champion in that category during 2013 and 2014. It has been suggested that Chen could be one of the athletes identified by the Moscow Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) obtained by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), which passed details to international federations in December last year. The IWF did not offer any further details on Chen’s case, however if an athlete tests positive, it is usual practice for the the IWF to announce an adverse analytical finding (AAF).

This was the case with Otgontuya Gongor, a Mongolian weightlifter who has been provisionally suspended after returning an AAF for mesterolone. She competed at the 2017 Summer Universiade in Taiwan during August, but did not win a medal. Mesterolone is an anabolic steroid used in treating low testosterone levels.