Two Russian weightlifters suspended for doping in 2008 Olympics retests

Budapest, Aug 24 (IANS) Russian weightlifters Dmitry Lapikov and Khadzhimurat Akkayev have tested positive for banned drugs in the latest retests of samples from the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the press service of the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) said on Wednesday.

Both athletes, who are bronze medallists of the 2008 Olympic Games, have been provisionally suspended from competitions, reports Tass.

"In line with the relevant rules and regulations, the IWF imposed mandatory provisional suspensions upon the athletes, who remain provisionally suspended in view of potential anti-doping rule violations until their cases are closed," the IWF said.

Lapikov and Akkayev are bronze medallists of the 2008 Olympic Games in the 105 kg and 94 kg categories, respectively. Akkayev also won silver at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

The list of 15 suspended athletes includes 11 medallists of the 2008 Olympic Games. Among them are Belarusian, Chinese, Kazakhstani and Azerbaijani athletes.

The IWF announced on July 29 its decision to ban the whole Russian weightlifting team from the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil's Rio de Janeiro over numerous cases of violation of anti-doping rules.