MOSCOW, February 3. /TASS/. A doping sample of Russian Olympic medalist in freestyle wrestling Bilyal Makhov has tested positive for a banned performance enhancing drug, Mikhail Mamiashvili, the president of the Russian Wrestling Federation (RWF), told TASS on Monday.
"Makhov has been found guilty of doping abuse and we will be investigating this incident," Mamiashvili said. "I held a meeting with Bilyal [Makhov] after I received an official information."
"My stance is that I have a document on the table and the rest is just a cheap talk," the RWF president stated.
Mamiashvili said Makhov did not deny a possibility that a banned substance, namely a growth hormone, could have been discovered in his doping sample.
"He is not holding a stance of the categorical denial, says it is possible that a growth hormone was in his body, explaining it that his wife was taking medical preparations at the moment and some of them may contain this substance. The doping sample was taken at his house and they [doping control officers] arrived at his house at five in the morning," Mamiashvili added.
Margarita Pakhotskaya, a deputy director general of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA), confirmed that Makhov possibly violated anti-doping regulations and that the agency launched a probe into the incident.
"Since President of the [Russian Wrestling] Federation Mikhail Mamiashvili has already made a statement about a possible violation of anti-doping rules by wrestler Makhov, RUSADA confirms that a notification has been sent and a case was opened," Pakhnotskaya told TASS.
"However, we will be able to speak about the details of the incident and possible sanctions only after we hear a decision from the Disciplinary Committee," she continued. "The wrestler will have to decide whether he wants to open Sample B."
"The athlete has 14 days to provide his explanations and reasons for requesting speedy hearings, but in that case he needs to send his reply as soon as possible and state his reasons for the speedy hearings," Pakhnotskaya added.
Makhov is the silver medalist of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London in the under-120 kilograms weight category. The 32-year-old Russian wrestler is also a three-time World Champion (2007, 2009 and 2010).