A further three medallists from the 2008 and 2012 summer Olympic Games have been stripped of their titles after being found to have used anabolic steroids.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said Uzbek wrestler Artur Taymazov (pictured), who won gold in the men’s 96-120kg freestyle wrestling event at Beijing 2008, and Ukrainian Vasyl Fedoryshyn, who won silver in the men’s 55-60kg freestyle wrestling category, have been ordered to return their medals.
Russia’s Svetlana Tzarukaeva won silver in the women’s 63kg weightlifting event at London 2012 and has also been asked to return her medal. Her disqualification means Canadian lifter Christine Girard is in line to be moved to the gold medal position as the original event winner, Maiya Maneza of Kazakhstan, was disqualified last year for doping.
The IOC has conducted a wave of retesting of samples from Beijing 2008 and London 2012, leading to 65 further sanctions for Beijing, 40 of which involve medallists. A total of 45 sanctions, involving 20 medallists, have been made for London 2012.
The three latest cases all involved turinabol, while Taymazov also tested positive for stanozolol.
