Russian weightlifter Albegov suspended in doping case

Associated Press
Iran’s Sajjad Anoushiravani Hamlabad, left, Iran’s Behdad Salimikordasiabi, center, and Russia’s Ruslan Albegov pose with their silver, gold and bronze medals at the ExCel venue during the London 2012 Olympic Games on August 7, 2012. (File photo by Reuters)

BUDAPEST: Russian weightlifter and Olympic medalist Ruslan Albegov has been suspended on suspicion of doping.
The International Weightlifting Federation says Albegov has been charged with violating a rule banning the “use or attempted use by an athlete of a prohibited substance or a prohibited method.”
Albegov remains suspended ahead of a final ruling on his case.
Albegov is Russia’s only remaining men’s weightlifting medalist from the 2012 Olympics, where he took bronze in the over 105-kilogram category. Five of the six other Russian lifters who competed at the 2012 Olympics have since been disqualified.
Russia’s entire weightlifting team was banned from last year’s Olympics for repeated doping cases.
Russia is one of nine countries serving a separate one-year ban from all international competitions for violating doping rules at previous Olympics.