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Russian weightlifter Apti Aukhadov announces comeback after serving suspension term

He is expected to join the training camp after the New Year celebrations

Apti Aukhadov AP Photo/Andrew Medichini

Apti Aukhadov

© AP Photo/Andrew Medichini

MOSCOW, December 11. /TASS/. Russia’s Apti Aukhadov, the 2013 World Weightlifting Champion, told TASS on Tuesday he was set to come back to sports after the New Year holidays as he had served his suspension for the violation of anti-doping rules.

The 26-year-old Russian weightlifter is also the 2013 European Championship in the under-85kg weight category, but until recently he had been serving a suspension term imposed over abuse of performance enhancing drugs.

"It is more likely that I will be joining the training camp after the New Year celebrations as I am already preparing to take part in the Russia Cup, scheduled for February 4," Aukhadov said in an interview with TASS.

"I am planning to test myself in a new weight category of under-81 kilograms, which is also certified by the Olympic authorities," he said. "I still do not know how I would do in this category, but I will be trying to do my best."

In mid-October 2016, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced a decision to annul the 2012 Olympics silver medal won by Russian weightlifter Apti Aukhadov after the reanalysis of his doping probe tested positive for performance enhancing drugs.

The IOC stated that the re-analysis of Aukhadov’s samples from London 2012 resulted in a positive test for the prohibited substances Dehydrochlormethyltestosterone (turinabol) and Drostanolone.

At that time Aukhadov had been already suspended for a two-year term for violations of anti-doping regulations, but his suspension term was extended later by six more months. The Russian weightlifter’s suspension term officially expired on December 10.

The Weightlifting Russia Cup is scheduled to be held in the city of Stary Oskol between February 4 and 10 and will serve as the qualifying tournament for the 2019 European Championship, slated for April 3-13 in Georgia’s Batumi.

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