Thailand, Malaysia weightlifters banned from Tokyo Olympics over doping

Budapest: The Independent Member Federation Sanctions Panel (IMFSP) of the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) has imposed disciplinary sanctions on Thailand and Malaysia and banned both the countries to from participating in weightlifting events at the Tokyo Olympics.

The IMFPS also suspended the Thai Amateur Weightlifting Association (TAWA) for three years, while the Malaysian Weightlifting Federation (MWF) has been given a one-year ban.

“The Membership status of TAWA is suspended for a period of three years through to 1 April 2023 (TAWA officials are suspended for two years and are not eligible to be appointed to any IWF position so long as TAWA remains suspended.) The three-year suspension of TAWA will be reviewed and may be lifted on or after 7 March 2022 if TAWA can demonstrate it has met pre-defined criteria,” the IWF said in a statement.

“MWF is suspended from all IWF activities for a period 12 months through to 1 April 2021. The one-year suspension of MWC will be reviewed and may be lifted as early as 1 October 2020 if MWF can demonstrate it has met pre-defined criteria,” it added.

However, both the federations have a 21-day window to challenge the decision and appeal in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Additionally, the Thai federation has also been fined USD 2,00,000, half of which “shall be used by IWF to offset IWF costs already incurred in connection with the TAWA matter and for additional IWF testing of TAWA athletes”, the panel said.

The Thailand federation had already withdrawn from the Tokyo Olympics voluntarily after nine of its weightlifters were caught for doping violations at the 2018 World Championships.

On March 24, for the first time in the history of the mega global event, the Olympics were postponed by a year. The decision was confirmed by the IOC after the organising body for the event and Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe agreed to reschedule the Tokyo Olympics in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The IOC had, however, said that the original name of Tokyo 2020 will remain intact irrespective of the fact that it will take place next year.

The Tokyo Olympics 2020 will now commence from July 23 to August 8 next year while the Paralympics Games will be held from August 24 to September 5, 2021.

The Tokyo Olympic Games were originally slated to be held from July 24 to August 9, while the Paralympic Games were scheduled to be held from August 25 to September 6.