Rio 2016: IOC Alerts 31 Athletes Likely to be Disqualified

Posted by African Examiner Latest Headlines, Sports News Tuesday, May 17th, 2016

BALTIMORE, MD (AFRICAN EXAMINER) – About 31 athletes from six sports are likely to be ban from competing at the forthcoming Olympic games, otherwise referred to as Rio 2016.

Olympic Chiefs gave the hint after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) retested 454 selected doping samples from the 2008 Games in Beijing, China.

The IOC confirmed that the retests were conducted with the very latest scientific analysis methods. It added that results of another 250 retests from the 2012 Olympics in London were still being awaited.

IOC President Thomas Bach said: “All these measures are a powerful strike against the cheats we do not allow to win,”

“They show once again that dopers have no place to hide. We keep samples for 10 years so that the cheats know that they can never rest.

“By stopping so many doped athletes from participating in Rio, we are showing once more our determination to protect the integrity of the Olympic competition.”The Committee specified that the retests focused on athletes who could potentially take part in Rio, adding that the affected 12 national Olympic associations for the exercise would be informed soon.

In the meantime, IOC has pledged that it would not divulge the identities of athletes who had returned adverse findings until B-samples had been tested and the concerned were informed.

In addition to retests, the Rio Olympic Committee has confirmed it would commence re-testing samples from the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics.

The move might not be unconnected by last week leak by whistle blower alleging that Russian secret service agents helped on drug cheat in Sochi.