Egypt weightlifters out of Olympics after doping ban
Last updated on: 05 December,2019 07:38 am
The Egyptian Weightlifting Federation has lost its appeal against a two-year doping ban.
LAUSANNE (AFP) - The Egyptian Weightlifting Federation has lost its appeal against a two-year doping ban, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) announced on Wednesday.
The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) hit Egypt with a two-year suspension on September 12.
The EWF appealed but on Wednesday CAS issued a statement saying the appeal "has been dismissed."
The ban meant the country s weightlifters were barred from the world championships in Thailand from September 18 to 27.
The failure of the appeal means Egyptian weightlifters will also be banned from the Tokyo Olympics next year.
The suspension followed seven positive doping tests for young weightlifters in 2016.
Under IWF rules, any federation with at least three positive controls over a one-year period faces a two-year suspension.
Egypt has been a stronghold for weightlifting over the years, winning 11 medals, including five gold, out of a total of 31 medals won in the country s 22 Olympic participations.
Egypt earned two bronze medals at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, thanks to Mohamed Ihab Mahmoud (men s -77kg) and Sara Ahmed (women s -69kg).
Both were medal hopes next summer in Tokyo.