Back in December, I wrote a blog in the aftermath of the 2015 World Weightlifting Championships in Houston commending the sport’s world governing body’s decision to ban 11 Bulgarian weightlifters from competing at Rio 2016 after testing positive for the banned anabolic steroid stanozolol during a training camp for last year’s European Championships in Georgia’s capital Tbilisi.

The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) Congress has voted unanimously here today to introduce an additional bodyweight category for women, equalling the eight already existing for men.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has confirmed that Belarusian, Kazakhstani and Russian weightlifters could be banned from this year’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

European Weightlifting Federation (EWF) President Antonio Urso has hit back at calls from the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) for the continental governing body to reconsider its decision to appoint Russian Weightlifting Federation (RWF) chief Sergey Syrtsov as the chairman of its Anti-Doping Commission.

Russian weigthtlifer Alexey Lovchev, currently serving a four-year doping suspension, has said he would insist in a judicial process that the permitted substance ecdisten had been found in his body.

Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko has described the decision to provisionally ban his country’s weightlifters from international competition as "a psychotic episode" that is outside the legal framework.

The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) has called for the European Weightlifting Federation (EWF) to reconsider its decision to appoint Russian Weightlifting Federation (RWF) President Sergey Syrtsov as the chairman of its Anti-Doping Commission.

The weightlifting Federations of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia will be suspended for one year in the event that it is proven the countries produced three or more anti-doping rule violations in the combined re-analysis of samples from 2008 and 2012 Olympics in Beijing and London respectively, it has been confirmed here today.

The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) has agreed in principle to introduce an additional bodyweight category for women, equalling the eight already existing for men.

Olympic champion Ilya Ilyin is one of three weightlifting medallists from Beijing 2008 to have failed doping tests following the re-analysis of samples by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). 

All four Kazakhstan weightlifting gold medal winners at London 2012 have failed doping tests following re-analysis of samples, it has been announced today.

An International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) delegaton led by director general Attila Adamfi has visited Rio de Janeiro as construction continues at the Riocentro venue.

Two reigning Olympic weightlifting champions from Kazakhstan have reportedly tested positive following re-analysis of doping results.

Russia appears poised to forfeit two Rio 2016 Olympic quota places after four weightlifters, including world champion Alexey Lovchev, were all reportedly handed four or eight-year doping suspensions.

Olympic bronze medallist Hripsime Khurshudyan is among a trio of weightlifters to have avoided suspension for using meldonium, the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) has confirmed.