The International Testing Agency (ITA) has concluded its re-analysis of London 2012 samples and found an additional 73 Anti-Doping Rule Violations with 31 medals being withdrawn and 46 being reallocated.
The ITA found 36 ADRVs in weightlifting and 28 in athletics. The National Olympic Committee (NOC)s with the most ADRVs discovered by the ITA were Russia with 21 and Belarus with 11. 31 medals were withdrawn and 46 reallocated across weightlifting, athletics, wrestling and canoeing.
ITA Director General Benjamin Cohen said “The result of this re-analysis program clearly shows that in the fight against doping every available means must be used to protect fairness and athletes. Sometimes, time is one such tool that allows science and approaches to anti-doping to evolve to the point where new detection methods can be applied to samples taken many years ago. That is why the ITA is committed to smart, comprehensive approaches to clean sport. Cheaters should never feel safe, not now, not tomorrow, not in ten years. We will constantly continue to improve our ability to tackle doping from any possible angle, this is the ITA’s determination and mission. Through this work, the ITA and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) are working hand in hand to instil the trust in fair play of athletes who were directly affected by doping competitors and only received recognition of their rightful results years later.”
IOC Athletes Commission Chair Emma Terho said “This completion of this re-analysis program reiterates the importance of safeguarding the fundamental values of sport and the spirit of fair play. The IOC continuously supports the anti-doping effort and this is an important result of this support. Ensuring the protection of clean athletes is a top priority and on behalf of all clean athletes, I can say we are thankful for this work being done by the IOC and the ITA.” She adds: “If medals have to be reallocated, the Olympic Medal Reallocation principles, which were designed by the IOC Athletes’ Commission and approved by the IOC Executive Board, provide athletes with a menu of options to receive their medals in a way that recognises their achievements. The years of hard work that athletes have put in to reach the top of their sport are recognised properly through these principles, and offer athletes a chance to receive reallocated medals in a way that feels right to them.”
You can access the report here.
