WADA weightlifting probe finds evidence of doppelgangers providing samples

A 3-year investigation into the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) has uncovered instances of suspected urine substitution and “doppelgangers” getting used to impersonate athletes, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) stated on Thursday.

Eighteen weightlifters from six nations are suspected of giving manipulated samples, WADA stated, including that the instances of urine substitution could be forwarded to the International Testing Agency (ITA).

WADA stated that it discovered proof of “doppelgangers” getting used to impersonate athletes in the course of the pattern assortment course of.

The discovery was a part of a number of and ongoing WADA probes that started in 2017, together with Operation Arrow, a covert investigation into the apply of urine substitution on the level of assortment.

Other branches of the investigation included Operation Outreach, which seemed into accusations {that a} high-ranking member of the IWF was paid to guard Russian athletes from detection, and Operation Heir, which seemed into allegations of an organised doping and a safety scheme working inside Romanian weightlifting.

The IWF didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.

“WADA is appalled by what its Intelligence and Investigations Department has uncovered in this investigation,” stated WADA president Witold Banka in an announcement.

“For too long, clean weightlifters have had to deal with an entrenched culture of doping in their sport, where the promotion of fear ensured that the truth remained hidden and that those who wanted to do the right thing were isolated.”

An unbiased investigation into the IWF carried out earlier this yr by Canadian regulation professor Richard McLaren discovered widespread corruption throughout the organisation, together with doping coverups with fines paid on to former president Tamas Ajan.

The 81-year-old Hungarian Ajan had been on the IWF because the mid 70s, serving first as secretary basic after which as president from 2000 till his resignation in April.

The troubled federation final week appointed its third interim president in as many days, with Britain’s Michael Irani, the previous chair of the anti-doping fee, taking up from Thailand’s Intarat Yodbangtoey.

Yodbangtoey had changed American Ursula Papandrea within the function after an emergency assembly of the chief board.