KYIV: Ukraine are at risk of losing quota places for Olympic weightlifting at the Paris 2024 Games after a third athlete was provisionally suspended due to an anti-doping rule violation, Inside The Games reported.

The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF), which would decide on any such punishment, did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.

Alina Marushchak, who won gold at the 2021 world championships in the women’s 81 kg category, became the latest to be provisionally suspended in March due to the presence of Hydrochlorothiazide, a diuretic and masking agent prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

Two other Ukrainians — Ruslan Kozhakin and Bohdan Taranenko — were suspended in

October for the presence of Trimetazidine, a WADA-banned hormone and metabolic modulator, according to the International Testing Agency.

If they are found guilty, the three face bans of at least four years each.

By IWF rules an independent panel may withdraw quota places for both men and women if three sanctions are handed out for doping violations by athletes or others in one member federation within a 12-month period.

Ukraine won eight medals at the recently concluded European Weightlifting Championships in Armenia, including two golds.

The country has said it would boycott the Olympics Games if Russians and Belarusians are allowed to compete, even as neutrals, following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine last year.

Cabinet secretary Oleh Nemchinov said last month Ukraine’s athletes would also not be allowed to take part in qualifying events for the 2024 Games if they have to compete against Russians.

Published in Dawn, April 30th, 2023