Rio gold finally stripped from Kazak weightlifter for urine substitution offences
The Anti-Doping Division has finally stripped Nihat Rahimov of his 2016 Rio Olympics gold medal for his part in world weightlifting's well-documented doping saga that included several urine substitution offences.
Rahimov, who won gold in the men's 77-kilogram class in Rio representing Kazakhstan, was sanctioned by a sole arbitrator with an eight-year period of ineligibility and loss of competitive results from 2016 until 2021, including his gold medal performance, according to a media release issued by the Court of Arbitration for Sport ('CAS').
The proceedings came about after a 2021 WADA investigation known as 'Operation Arrow', which sought to expose cheats engaged in the increased practice of imposters posing for urine doping tests so cheating athletes can avoid detection.
Rahimov was one of the athletes implicated, and the International Testing Agency, on behalf of the World Weightlifting Federation ('IWF') issued a Notice of Charge against him. Rahimov challenged the anti-doping rule violations ('ADRVs') and his provisional suspension against him, and the matter was bought before the CAS Anti-Doping Division for arbitration last August.
The evidence against Rahimov was thought to be overwhelming, and the Sole Arbitrator found him guilty of four ADRVs under Article 2.2 of the IWF anti-doping rules, all offences related to urine substitution.
Urine substitution is considered to fall under Article 2.2 of the IWF Rules as constituting an offence for 'use or attempted use of a prohibited method'.
Under Article 10.2 of the IWF Rules, the Sole Arbitrator considered that as the athlete's second ADRV the offences warranted a sanction against Rahimov that equated to an ineligibility period of eight years, an increase on the usual four years, ruling him out of competing until 18 January 2029.
In a statement released in response to the ruling, the International Testing Agency welcomed the Anti-Doping Division's decision, noting the offences would have occurred "in preparation of the Olympic Games Rio 2016" and also noting Rahimov's right of appeal before the Appeal Division of CAS.
CAS Media Release (22 March 2022)
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