IOC expresses concern over “very serious” corruption and doping allegations in weightlifting
Siripuch Gulnoi of Thailand competes during the Women’s 63kg Group A Weightlifting contest on Day 4 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. (Photo by Getty Images)
LAUSANNE, January 6, 2020 - The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is worried about the “very serious” allegations of corruption and doping cover-ups made against the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) by German broadcaster ARD.
A new ARD documentary, Secret Doping – the Lord of the Lifters, which aired on Sunday night, features the secret recording of an Olympic medallist from Thailand, who confessed to taking drugs before winning a bronze medal at London 2012. Siripuch Gulnoi, who had never been linked to doping prior, also claimed that girls as young as 13 are doping in Thailand to prepare for national competitions.
The programme, made by the same investigators who broke the story on Russia's state doping scandal in 2014, also alleged that some weightlifters secretly paid testers in exchange for “clean” tests. Dorin Balmus, a doctor with the Moldova weightlifting team, disclosed this in a secretly recorded conversation. According to him, these “clean” tests can be bought for $60 at national level and $200 from international testers. And the Hungarian National Anti-Doping Agency (HUNADO) is suspected of perpetrating the hideous practice.
Meanwhile the investigation unearthed documents allegedly showing that millions of dollars paid to the IWF by the IOC is unaccounted for. At least $5 million sent to the IWF in Olympic broadcasting revenues were transferred into two Swiss accounts controlled by the federation president Tamas Ajan, the 80-year-old Hungarian who has served as general secretary and President of the IWF since 1976.
“The IOC takes note of the ARD report. The accusations are very serious and worrying," the IOC said in a statement on Monday.
“The IOC wants to clarify that –- contrary to what ARD is claiming –- it was not in possession of 'most of the documents' on which the film is based. This applies to the documents regarding the doping statistics and those regarding the alleged financial irregularities.”
For its part, the IWF has refuted the allegations, while explaining that it had been running “a progressive and extensive anti-doping programme, which has been continuously upgraded, including creative and pioneer measures”.
In a statement released on Monday, the IWF said “the widespread abuse of the same anabolic agent, especially among juniors, in Thailand would appear to be indicative of an organised system of doping” adding that it will “now confer with WADA in order to establish whether a wider investigation may be appropriate”.
WADA has said it is aware of allegations in the ARD programme and would “continue to pursue its enquiries regarding potential breaches of the World Anti-Doping Code”.
As for the “specific allegations regarding doping of weightlifters in Thailand, which are new and of great concern to WADA, the Agency will follow up with the IWF, the Doping Control Agency of Thailand and other stakeholders to gain a clearer picture of the situation”.
HUNADO also released a statement on Monday saying it "objects to and in the strongest terms rejects all accusations".
Weightlifting has been affected doping issues for decades and the IOC has previously threatened to withdraw its Olympic status. While it is not clear yet if these latest allegations could cost the sport a place in Tokyo, the IOC has declared that it will “contact WADA in order to keep anyone involved in the alleged infringements of the World Anti-Doping Code away from the Olympic Games”.
A new ARD documentary, Secret Doping – the Lord of the Lifters, which aired on Sunday night, features the secret recording of an Olympic medallist from Thailand, who confessed to taking drugs before winning a bronze medal at London 2012. Siripuch Gulnoi, who had never been linked to doping prior, also claimed that girls as young as 13 are doping in Thailand to prepare for national competitions.
The programme, made by the same investigators who broke the story on Russia's state doping scandal in 2014, also alleged that some weightlifters secretly paid testers in exchange for “clean” tests. Dorin Balmus, a doctor with the Moldova weightlifting team, disclosed this in a secretly recorded conversation. According to him, these “clean” tests can be bought for $60 at national level and $200 from international testers. And the Hungarian National Anti-Doping Agency (HUNADO) is suspected of perpetrating the hideous practice.
Meanwhile the investigation unearthed documents allegedly showing that millions of dollars paid to the IWF by the IOC is unaccounted for. At least $5 million sent to the IWF in Olympic broadcasting revenues were transferred into two Swiss accounts controlled by the federation president Tamas Ajan, the 80-year-old Hungarian who has served as general secretary and President of the IWF since 1976.
“The IOC takes note of the ARD report. The accusations are very serious and worrying," the IOC said in a statement on Monday.
“The IOC wants to clarify that –- contrary to what ARD is claiming –- it was not in possession of 'most of the documents' on which the film is based. This applies to the documents regarding the doping statistics and those regarding the alleged financial irregularities.”
For its part, the IWF has refuted the allegations, while explaining that it had been running “a progressive and extensive anti-doping programme, which has been continuously upgraded, including creative and pioneer measures”.
In a statement released on Monday, the IWF said “the widespread abuse of the same anabolic agent, especially among juniors, in Thailand would appear to be indicative of an organised system of doping” adding that it will “now confer with WADA in order to establish whether a wider investigation may be appropriate”.
WADA has said it is aware of allegations in the ARD programme and would “continue to pursue its enquiries regarding potential breaches of the World Anti-Doping Code”.
As for the “specific allegations regarding doping of weightlifters in Thailand, which are new and of great concern to WADA, the Agency will follow up with the IWF, the Doping Control Agency of Thailand and other stakeholders to gain a clearer picture of the situation”.
HUNADO also released a statement on Monday saying it "objects to and in the strongest terms rejects all accusations".
Weightlifting has been affected doping issues for decades and the IOC has previously threatened to withdraw its Olympic status. While it is not clear yet if these latest allegations could cost the sport a place in Tokyo, the IOC has declared that it will “contact WADA in order to keep anyone involved in the alleged infringements of the World Anti-Doping Code away from the Olympic Games”.
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