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11 June 2021
The ITA has informed the Federación Colombiana de Levantamiento de Pesa (FCLP) that its case was being referred to the IWF’s Independent Member Federation Sanctioning Panel (Independent Panel) to impose sanctions against the FCLP under Article 12 of the IWF Anti-Doping Rules (IWF ADR) and the IWF Qualification System for the Games of the XXXII Olympiad Tokyo 2020 (IWF OQS) as a consequence of multiple Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) committed by three member athletes of the FCLP.
As per Article 12 of the IWF ADR and Article 4 of the IWF OQS if three or more ADRVs are
committed by athletes affiliated to the same member federation during a calendar year and/or during the qualification period of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, the Independent Panel may impose sanctions, including the suspension of the member federation and/or the imposition of a fine on the member federation and/or the withdrawal of quota place(s) with regard to the Tokyo Games.
The case against the FCLP concerns three athletes, namely Ana Segura, Yenny Sinisterra, and Juan Felipe Arboleda. On 20 January 2020, all three athletes tested positive for the prohibited steroid Boldenone and metabolite. The athletes alleged that the source of the prohibited substance was the consumption of meat contaminated with boldenone, whilst at a training camp in Colombia.
Pursuant to the Anti-Doping Division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS ADD) award of 10 June 2021, where the ITA represented the IWF, the athletes were found to have committed ADRVs under Article 2.1 of the IWF ADR and were sanctioned with a period of ineligibility of 4 years from 24 February 2020 to 23 February 2023. CAS ADD did not accept that the prohibited substances came from meat contamination. The athletes have a right to appeal the decision before the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Given that the case is underway, the ITA will not comment further during the ongoing proceedings.
