IOC confirms Rybakou disqualification: Tigran Martirosyan declared Olympic Games Vice Champion
International Olympic Committee (IOC) today announced that nine athletes have been disqualified from the Olympic Games Beijing 2008.
As the decision released by IOC reads, Andrei Rybakou, 34, of Belarus competing in the men’s 85kg weightlifting event in which he ranked 2nd and for which he was awarded a silver medal, has been disqualified from the Olympic Games Beijing 2008. Re-analysis of Rybakou’s samples from Beijing 2008 resulted in a positive test for the prohibited substances.
The IOC has ruled the medal, the medalist pin and the diploma obtained in the men’s 85kg weightlifting event withdrawn, and Rybakou is ordered to return the same.
Based on its decision, IOC has also asked the International Weightlifting Federation to reassess the results, which means Armenia’s representative Tigran Martirosyan who was awarded a bronze medal will be officially named 2008 Olympic vice champion.