Indian weightlifting once again revolved around the enduring brilliance of Mirabai Chanu, whose World Championships silver was the single biggest achievement for the sport in a year marked by doping concerns and senior-level stagnation.
India's ace weightlifter Mirabai Chanu stated that she has been competing in the 48-49kg category and will need to move to the 53kg category for the 2028 Olympics due to a change in weight classes. She expressed confidence in her ability to participate in the 2028 event.
Mirabai Chanu's weight class axed from 2028 Olympics, to bulk up to 53kg for LA Games
IWF scraps her weight category; Olympic weight category yet to be known.
IOA president P T Usha on Sunday slammed the revolting executive council members, saying they 'seem more focused on self-serving power play and monetary gain'
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China's three-times Olympic champion has been provisionally suspended after testing positive for a banned substance.
The 15-year-old lifted a total of 267kg(119kg+148kg) to finish third.
With Mirabai not in medal contention, weightlifting Worlds set to be an underwhelming affair for India
Bindyarani Devi had a total effort of 194kg (83kg+111kg) in the non-Olympic 55kg category.
"There is very less time between the Asian Games and the World Championships. Since there is compulsory participation at the World Championships, we have decided that Mirabai only travel to Riyadh and give the body weight.
Sanjita Chanu had tested positive for an anabolic steroid during an in-competition testing at the National Games in Gujarat in September-October last year.
The two will now go head to head in a bid to seal qualification for the 2024 Olympics as only one lifter per country is allowed in a weight class.
Mirabai Chanu's Asian Championship campaign did not go as per plan as she faltered in snatch and chose not to make her last two clean and jerk attempts to finish sixth.
Russian Sport Minister Vitaly Mutko said a decision by the International Weightlifting Federation to ban Russia weightlifters from the Rio Olympics was like "a psychotic episode", R-Sport news agency reported on Thursday.
Sanjita Chanu will be conferred with the Arjuna award as per a 2018 Delhi High Court order, which directed the selection committee to consider her and keep the decision in a sealed cover to be disclosed only if she was absolved of the doping charges.
Mirabai managed to lift 87kg in snatch and in 'clean and jerk' her best effort was a lift of 113kg
Weightlifter Sanjita Chanu once again finds herself embroiled in a dope controversy.
'Yes, that's (Olympics medal) the target, but it will be a long and tough journey ahead'
Apart from Mirabai, the four other Indian lifters were placed in groups C and D, failing to finish even in the top 20 at the Worlds, earlier this month.
The IWF has admitted to mentioning two different urine sample numbers in its communication of her dope flunk earlier this year, according to a letter that the world body sent to the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA).
The announcement come days after the IWF said five other Russian weightlifters had been provisionally suspended.
The IWF said the samples of Oleg Chen and David Bedzhanyan, who are also serving provisional suspensions for separate potential anti-doping violations, contained the same anabolic agent found in Evstyukhina's sample.
'It is positive news not just for us but for the nation. She is training in America and I am closely watching the way she is working and I have no doubt that she will fight for a gold medal.'
Russia's weightlifting team has been barred from competing at the Rio Olympics in August over doping offences, the sport's governing federation said on Friday.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has begun an investigation into doping violations after an inquiry led by Richard McLaren uncovered 40 positive adverse analytical findings hidden in the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) records.
Uganda's chef de mission Aisha Nassanga also had no idea how Ssekitoleko got an India track jacket.
Indian weightlifter Sanjita Chanu said she will challenge the provisional suspension imposed on her for allegedly failing a dope test, insisting that she is innocent.
Country's weightlifters, who participated in international events, have come clean in several anti-doping tests, Indian Weightlifting Federation President claimed on Sunday.
Hubbard, 43, competed in men's weightlifting competitions before transitioning in 2013.
Mirabai Chanu's medal hopes swell after North Korea's withdrawal from Olympics
Chinese Olympic weightlifting champion Liao Hui has been suspended for doping, ruling him out of next year's London Games, state news agency Xinhua reported on Friday.
The Sports Ministry on Tuesday directed the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (OC) to immediately release Rs 1.75 crore interest-free loan to the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWF) so that it can pay the doping fine of US$ 375,000 to the international parent body before the August 31 deadline.
The International Weightlifting Federation said in a statement that the two countries' lifters shall not compete at the Tokyo Games, regardless of the change of date. The Thai and Malaysian federations can appeal the IWF ruling to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) within 21 days.
Repeat offenders Shailaja Pujari and Vicky Butta were slapped with life bans, while four others were barred for four years as the International Weightlifting Federation cracked the whip on Indian dope cheats.
On Wednesday, the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWF) wrote to the sports ministry to comply with the High Court order.
The International Weightlifting Federation on Wednesday cleared the deck for Indian lifters' participation at the South Asian Games after the national body paid $50,000 as first installment of the $500,000 fine imposed on it by the IWF.
Despite being absolved of the dope charge, weightlifter Monika Devi's chances of taking part in the Beijing Olympics were dashed on Sunday, as the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) rejected her entry in the competition. The Indian Olympic Association's request to allow Monika to participate was turned down by the IWF, IOA president Suresh Kalmadi said in a statement in Beijing.
Accused of bribing her way to the Beijing Olympics, weightlifter Shailaja Pujari on Wednesday broke her silence by dismissing charges of corruption and claimed she is the "right candidate" for the Games. She also said selecting any other weightlifter in her place for the competition would be the violation of the rules of International Weightlifting Federation.
The Indian Weightlifting Federation was told that its weightlifters can participate in international events provided it pays up a fine of US $50,000.
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