IOC retests more London 2012 Olympic Games samples

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The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Friday that it has started conducting additional doping analyses on the samples of athletes collected from the 2012 London Olympic Games.

The reanalysis, using the latest scientific methods, will continue in 2019 before the statute of limitations is reached by 2020, the IOC said.

Previously 48 anti-doping violations were found in more than 500 reanalyses of London Games samples. Mostly were for anabolic steroids.

The International Testing Agency has been delegated to review the latest test results and notify the athletes concerned, the IOC said.

If an adverse analytical finding is confirmed, athletes will have a choice to have their case heard before the Court of Arbitration for Sport or an IOC Disciplinary Commission.

Zulfiya Chinshanlo of Kazakhstan competes during the weightlifting women's 53kg event of 2012 London Olympic Games in London, UK, July 29, 2012. IOC stripped her gold medal on October 27, 2016 in the event after retesting samples from the London Olympic Games. /VCG Photo

For legal reasons, the IOC will not give detailed information on possible cases. This will follow in due course.

The IOC stores and regularly retests samples from past Olympic Games with methods that did not exist at the time or looking for samples that were not known, as part of what it says are efforts to protect clean athletes and the integrity of the competition.

Samples since the 2004 Athens Olympic Games have been stored and reanalyzed systematically.

More than 110 adverse findings have been found in the Olympic Games since 2004 through retesting of samples.

Source(s): Reuters