Olympian weightlifter faces potential suspension, loss of medal after doping violation
Lithuanian Aurimas Didzbalis won bronze in the 2016 Rio De Janeiro Olympics
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Aurimas Didzbalis, who won a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio De Janeiro Olympics in weightlifting, tested positive for doping, the International Testing Agency said Thursday.
Didzbalis, 34, is one of seven athletes who participated in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics and tested positive after a fresh analysis of their samples. Samples taken at the Olympic Games are stored and can be retested for up to 10 years after their event to allow for new developments in doping science.
"The majority of these positive re-analysis results are mainly due to technical advances," the ITA said.
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Aurimas Didzbalis gestures during the men’s final 94-kilogram competition of the 2017 Weightlifting European Championships in Split, Croatia, April 7, 2017. (Stringer/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
Didzbalis and three of the other athletes with positive tests tested positive for the anabolic steroid Danabol. Sprinter Ivet Lalova of Bulgaria, who placed eighth in the women’s 200 meters final, tested positive for ostarine, which has similar effects to steroids.
Didzbalis, following the retest, faces disqualification by the International Olympic Committee and could be stripped of his medal. The fourth-place lifter was Sarat Sumpradit of Thailand.
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Adam Maligov, Aurimas Didzbalis and Dmytro Chumak stand on stage for the medal ceremony of the men’s final 94-kilogram competition at the 2017 Weightlifting European Championships in Split, Croatia, April 5, 2017. (Stringer/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
The 34-year-old’s positive test is not the first time he has tested positive for steroids. Didzbalis also tested positive for doping ahead of the 2012 London Olympics and at the 2017 World Championships in Anaheim, California.
"The athletes will also be provisionally suspended by their respective international federation," the ITA said.
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Aurimas Didzbalis reacts while competing in the men’s 94-kilogram weightlifting event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro Aug. 13, 2016. (Goh Chai Hin/AFP via Getty Images)
The fresh Olympic doping cases included four in weightlifting and one each in judo, wrestling and track and field.
Two of the athletes came from Egypt and one each from Belarus, Olympic host Brazil, Bulgaria, Lithuania and Uzbekistan.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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