31 July,2016 10:31 AM IST | | AFP
A ban on all Russian weightlifters dealt a new blow to the country. New criticism of the athletes’ village in Rio added to the dark clouds hanging over the Games, which start in one week. The International
Rio de Janeiro: A ban on all Russian weightlifters dealt a new blow to the country. New criticism of the athletes' village in Rio added to the dark clouds hanging over the Games, which start in one week. The International
Banned Russian weightlifter Artem Okulov. Pic/Getty images
Weightlifting Federation (IWF) banned all eight Russian contenders - five men and three women - entered for Rio. Weightlifting's reputation "has been seriously damaged on multiple times and levels by the Russians, therefore an appropriate sanction was applied in order to preserve the status of the sport," the IWF said.
Shocking statistics
"We would like to highlight the extremely shocking and disappointing statistics regarding Russian weightlifters." Among those banned, Artem Okulov is a world champion while Ruslan Albegov took a bronze medal at the 2012 London Games and Tatiana Kashirina a silver.
