MOSCOW (Sputnik) – On Wednesday, the IWF decided to withdraw two quotas from Russia at the upcoming Summer Olympics in Brazil over multiple anti-doping violations revealed in the combined re-analysis process of the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games. In addition, Russia, along with Kazakhstan and Belarus, is facing a one-year suspension from participation in international weightlifting events.
"There is a certain number of violations on the part of our weightlifters, for this we need to pay a fine. If they do not pay, then they may be disqualified. I don’t understand today’s decisions. They are controversial …How can you punish a team that should be going to the Olympics in 2016 for a violation in 2008 or 2012?" Mutko said on Wednesday in an interview with R-Sport.
According to the sports minister, Russia could consider challenging the IWF decisions at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
