ANKARA, Sept 21: Turkey has been temporarily suspended by the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) for violating doping test rules, in what is the latest in a series of scandals to hit one of the country’s most successful sports.

Turkish Weightlifting Federation chief Hasan Akkus told AFP Wednesday the IWF will meet on Nov 15 at the World Championships in Qatar to decide what sanctions would be taken.

The IWF acted after several athletes failed to appear for doping tests on Sept 6 at an Ankara hotel.

He explained that the IWF did not specify which athletes failed to appear for the tests, but Turkish newspapers reported earlier this month that four weightlifters, among them 2004 Athens Olympics 77kg gold medallist Taner Sagir, had missed a doping test.

In an interview with NTV television, Akkus said several athletes went to a football match before the inspectors arrived and officials could not reach them on their mobile phones to call them for the tests.

When the group returned to the hotel late in the evening, the inspectors had gone, he said, adding that the athletes were supposed to inform officials of their program beforehand.

The other alleged absentees mentioned by the media are Sedat Artuc, 2004 Olympic bronze medallist in the 56 kg category, Bunyamin Sudas, 105 kg silver medallist in this year’s European championships, and Reyhan Arabacioglu, who finished fourth in the 77 kg category at the Athens Olympics.

Turkey’s suspension follows a doping scandal involving three-time Olympic champion Halil Mutlu, who tested positive for an anabolic steroid during the European championships in Sofia in April, where the so-called “Little Dynamo” won three golds in the 62kg category.

Mutlu, who denied knowingly taking a banned substance, is still awaiting the punishment that will be slapped on him.

The press has speculated that the affair might be linked to power struggles that long plagued the Turkish weightlifting federation.

In December, a newspaper published alleged transcripts of taped conversations in which the then chief of the federation, Kenan Nuhut, spoke of widespread doping among women weightlifters.

The official denied the allegations and said they were fabricated by rival administrators in the federation.

Sule Sahbaz, 2003 World Championships bronze medallist in the women’s 75kg category, was expelled from the Athens Olympics after testing positive for banned substances one day before the competition.—AFP