IWF Follows Up On Moscow LIMS Data: Six Sanctions are Imposed and Three more Anti-Doping Rule Violations Asserted against Russian Athletes
In October 2017, a whistle-blower provided a copy of the LIMS from the years 2011-15 to the WADA Intelligence and Investigations Department (“WADA I&I). Subsequent investigations involved access to the Moscow Laboratory being granted to WADA I&I, which took forensic copies of the Laboratory Information Management System (“LIMS”) and underlying data.
Following these investigations, the International Testing Agency (“ITA”), on behalf of the IWF, brought forward twelve cases against Russian athletes in 2019 and two additional cases earlier this year. After thorough disciplinary proceedings before the IWF Hearing Panel, the IWF can now confirm that six Russian athletes were found to have committed anti-doping rule violations (https://www.iwf.net/anti-doping/sanctions/) and have been banned accordingly based on the data contained in the LIMS and other corroborative evidence. The other eight cases are currently pending either before the IWF Hearing Panel or at various stages of results management.
Furthermore, based in particular on the above-mentioned analytical data, the IWF has decided to assert anti-doping rule violations (https://www.iwf.net/2020/10/08/public-disclosure-182/) against three further Russian athletes. The latter are provisionally suspended. The cases are handled by the ITA on behalf of the IWF.
WADA I&I’s investigations were instrumental in building cases, which resulted in the athletes being charged with anti-doping rule violations.
“The IWF is grateful to WADA I&I, to the ITA, external Legal Counsel and to our staff for their diligence in efficiently prosecuting these athletes for their anti-doping rule violations,” said IWF Interim President Ursula Papandrea. “The decisions are proof that the anti-doping system has become significantly stronger in recent years, notably thanks to WADA’s powers to investigate. The IWF will continue to play its part alongside the ITA and others in doing all it can to protect clean weightlifters and promote clean weightlifting.”
