THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 2016 SPORTS

3 Olympic weightlifting gold medalists fail doping retests

BUDAPEST: Three Olympic champion 2012 games. They are all provisionally rent world record holder Andrei Rybakou 2008 who did not win medals were also retests. One medal, the silver won by weightlifters from and eight other suspended until the doping cases are of , who won silver in 2008. All named as having failed tests. They Turkey’s Sibel Ozkan in the women’s 48- medalists stand to be stripped of their resolved. tested positive for various anabolic include ’s Maiya Maneza and kilogram class, has already been titles after failing retests of their doping The IWF said in a statement on its steroids, according to the IWF. Belarus’ Iryna Kulesha, both of whom stripped. samples from the 2008 Olympics. website Wednesday that Chinese gold The other medalists are Anastasia won medals in 2012 but not 2008 and The retests are part of an ongoing The International Weightlifting medalists Cao Lei, Liu Chunhong and Novikova of Belarus, Kazakhstan’s Maria are already suspended over retests from process led by the International Olympic Federation says the 11 tested positive for Chen Xiexia all tested positive for GHRP- Grabovetskaya and Irina Nekrasova, 2012. Committee. Weightlifting at this month’s a range of banned substances in the lat- 2, which stimulates growth hormone Russia’s Khadzhimurat Akkaev and A further 10 lifters who competed at Rio Olympics has also been marred by est scandal to shake the sport, which is production, while Liu also tested positive Dmitry Lapikov, and ’s Natalya the 2008 Olympics, including five medal- doping, with Kyrgyzstan’s Izzat Artykov already processing retests which caught for the stimulant sibutramine. Davydova and Olha Korobka. ists, had already been suspended in June losing his bronze medal after testing numerous medalists from the 2008 and The other eight medalists include cur- Four other weightlifters from and July after failing an earlier wave of positive. —AP Celebrating Olympic golds, North Korea vows to be sports power

PYONGYANG: Despite claiming into a player to be reckoned with on appears to have been pulled NBA star Dennis Rodman, one of the only two gold medals in Rio, North the global sports stage is one of straight out of the playbook of for- only foreigners to ever meet with Korea is as determined as ever to ful- Kim’s pet projects, and he has mer Soviet bloc countries like East Kim. He then grabbed a ball embla- fill one of leader Kim Jong Un’s pri- poured funds into the development Germany, and is similar to the zoned with “Naesongsan,” his facto- mary goals: To become an interna- and training of promising athletes strong political significance sports ry’s brand. tional sports superpower. over the past several years. are still given in Russia and China, “Our balls are good enough to be North Korea’s small Olympic It has already made a visible North Korea’s two biggest historical used by the NBA, too,” he said. North team won its two golds in weightlift- mark on Pyongyang. The relatively backers. Koreans are able to follow the ing, where it has a number of world- affluent capital has seen the rise of But the campaign is also seen as Olympics, or at least some selected class and world-record-holding a number of major new or renovat- part of Kim’s effort to make North events, on TV and radio broadcasts lifters, and gymnastics. Weightlifter ed sports venues, and each year its Korea a more modern nation. and in newspapers, all of which are Rim Jong Sim won the gold in the usually restricted streets are opened “There are two reasons why sports run by the state. women’s 75-kilogram division, while for the Pyongyang Marathon, which are important,” Jang Sok Ha, manag- “I watched the games every day,” gymnast Ri Se Gwang won the has become a major tourist attrac- er of the newly opened Pyongyang said housewife Hong Un Byol, 34. “I men’s vault. The North also won tion. Though pickup volleyball Sports Equipment Factory, told The was so happy to see our national flag three silver and two bronze medals. games and football matches in Associated Press on Monday. raised after the gold medals. The ath- “When our Rim Jong Sim stood schoolyards have long been a sta- “People in good health can work letes practiced a lot to give pleasure SYDNEY: Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull looks at the bronze on the podium with our national ple in the city, it’s now a common harder, but they also need cultural to the Marshal.” Kim is often respect- medal of Australian Olympic team member Jessica Fox (L) during the wel- anthem playing, she cried and my sight to see young people out jog- rest and recreation.” fully referred to by that title, one of the many that he holds. come ceremony of the Rio Olympic team in Sydney yesterday. Australia set Beyond the playing field, sports aside squabbles over under-performing athletes to welcome home the Rio have from time to time provided games team as heroes. —AFP brief respites in the normally tense relations between the two Koreas. Australia sets aside woes During the 2000 Sydney Olympics, North and South Koreans marched for Rio ‘champions’ welcome together under a flag that symbol- ized unification. North Korea’s SYDNEY: Australia set aside squabbles the public, was equally positive. “Our 421 women’s soccer team won gold at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, over under-performing athletes yesterday athletes went to Rio and did their absolute South Korea, with the South winning to welcome home the Rio Olympics team best and that is all that we ever asked of bronze. Many South Koreans delight- as heroes. Generous public funding for a anyone,” she said. ed in seeing players from both coun- return of just half the expected medal tally “This was a games where we demon- tries celebrate together after the Australia’s worst performance since strated the strength of our youth. Sixty- medal ceremony. Barcelona in 1992 — have sparked recrimi- five percent of our team were Olympic While such sentiments were gen- nations. rookies and 43 percent were under the age erally absent during the Rio But Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull of 25,” Chiller said, looking forward to Olympics, one of the most touching made light of such woes in leading the Tokyo 2020. moments came when gymnasts tributes at a packed ceremony in an aircraft “Our Olympic team is not just about Hong Un Jong of North Korea and hangar at Sydney airport. medals. Our team culture and respect for Lee Eun-ju of South Korea met on the “Every single one of you is a champion,” one another has been a key part of this sidelines during their event and he told the cheering crowd. “Our perform- journey.” posed together smiling for a selfie. ance is not just measured by the final Chiller admitted that “Rio certainly had Photos of their warm moments medal tally. “We are committed to support- its challenges” after the Australian team at delighted many South Koreans and ing Australian sport, both our participants first refused to move into sub-standard provided a rare note of concord in at the grassroots level, the young boys and accommodation, but added: “The village otherwise abysmal relations between girls starting out, and elite athletes like was the best ever, eventually.” the rivals. yourselves,” Turnbull said. The end of the games saw relations PYONGYANG: Youths play with a ball during a break at Pyongyang International Football School Officially, however, both countries Australia finished 10th on the medals fracture between the Australian Olympic in Pyongyang, North Korea, yesterday. North Korea has poured funds into the development and frown on such meetings. The Korean table with eight gold, 11 silver and 10 Committee and the government-funded training of promising athletes over the past several years in an effort to fulfill one of leader Kim Peninsula is still technically in a state bronze medals. “On behalf of all Australian Sports Commission (ASC) in a Jong Un’s primary goals to become a country be reckoned with on the global sports stage. —AP of war because there has been no Australians, congratulations... welcome stormy debate over the appointment of peace treaty signed to officially end home, well done,” the prime minister businessmen as heads of Olympic sports. mother and I cried, too, as we ging or even canoeing on the two AFFORDABLE SPORTS EQUIPMENT the 1950-53 Korean War. Nearly added. Australia’s highly ranked swimmers watched on TV,” Ri Yun Gum, an 18- main rivers that run through Jang’s sparkling new factory, 30,000 US troops are stationed in Chef de mission Kitty Chiller, who had were at the vanguard of medal hopes but year-old government worker, said Pyongyang. which opened in April, is a big part of South Korea in what Seoul and to explain so many failures and missteps to came away with just three gold. —AFP Monday in Pyongyang as the Rio And while South Korea lets its the drive and is one of the largest in Washington claim is a necessary games were coming to a close. “I top athletes get out of military serv- the country. Its task is to provide reg- deterrent to any threats from North think our athletes are able to win ice as a gold medal reward, elite ular people affordable sports equip- Korea. Turning up the heat, the US Brazilian police say evidence not just because they train hard, but athletes returning home to the ment - from soccer balls to bad- and South Korea just kicked off annu- because of their mental toughness.” North after winning international minton rackets. al war games that Pyongyang says links Hickey to ticket scam The performance was a tad shy competitions often get a hero’s wel- Standing in the factory show- are a prelude to invasion. of expectations, since North Korea come - and maybe a condo. room, surrounded by everything Games or no games, accusations had four golds in London. But trans- Of course, Pyongyang’s push to from field hockey balls to judo uni- against the South of trying to create RIO DE JANEIRO: Brazilian police said held at Rio’s Bangu 10 prison while forming North Korea, which has very garner international prestige and forms and bags of talcum powder trouble - not of hugging gymnasts - they have uncovered evidence linking arrest warrants had been issued for sev- limited economic resources and a generate national pride by winning for weightlifters, Jang proudly pro- are what dominate the headlines the detained head of the Olympic en others who are on the run including population of only about 25 million, medals isn’t terribly original. It duced a basketball signed by former here. —AP Council of Ireland Patrick Hickey to a Rio Evans, police said. Games ticket scam. The scandal has been mounting since Hickey, 71, also head of the European the arrest of Mallon, an Irish director of Olympic Committees and an THG. International Olympic Committee (IOC) Police said they seized hundreds of member, has been held in a Brazilian top tickets from Mallon, some of which had security prison since police raided his Rio the Olympic Council of Ireland name on hotel on August 15 during the Olympics them. as part of their probe into the affair. Tickets, including for the Rio opening Warrants for the arrest of four others ceremony with a face value of about were issued including Marcus Evans, a $1,400 were offered for sale at $8,000. As British businessman who is also the chair- part of the probe Rio police on Sunday man of Ipswich football club in England. raided the offices of the Irish delegation “The analysis of the pieces of evidence, in the Rio Olympic Village and seized and above all of the emails, confirm that passports from three Irish Olympic offi- the president of the Irish Olympic cials. They also confiscated phones and Committee, Patrick (Hickey), was in direct computers, Irish officials said. contact with Marcus Evans, who is the Passports seized belonged to Kevin head of THG,” Rio police investigator Kilty, head of the Irish delegation in Rio, Ricardo Barbosa told a Rio press confer- Dermot Henihan, secretary general of the ence Tuesday. Olympic Council of Ireland, and Stephen He said the British company THG, a Martin, police said in a statement. hospitality firm, “was the organiser of this Evidence linked the three to the criminal system that consists in the illegal illegal ticket scam, police said. Since sale of tickets at prices much higher than his arrest Hickey has “temporarily” the official price, under cover of a hospi- stood down from his official posi- tality programme.” tions. The International Olympic THE HAGUE: Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte (L) receives the medal winners who took part at the Olympics in Rio 2016, in The Hickey and another suspect Kevin Committee has not yet launched an Hague, yesterday. —AFP Mallon, arrested on August 5, are being official investigation. —AFP After Rio risk, Olympic officials learn lessons

RIO DE JANEIRO: Taking the Olympics to Rio de and other off-the-field problems. um of Atlanta, , Rio - the ones that didn’t members a little bit crazy,” Paes said. “If you want to there are social problems and social divisions. ... Janeiro was always considered a bit of a risk. Now “This has been probably a little below the work out,” he said. “One just hopes the lessons are be fair to Rio, you cannot compare us to Tokyo, to The IOC has shown that it is possible to organize that South America’s first games are drawing to a expectations of the experts, but will have televised learned.” But the games must also be judged from a Chicago, to Madrid. These are cities that have much games also in countries which are not at the top of close, the question is: Did the gamble pay off? well for the 99.9 percent of the population of the local perspective. Many Brazilians and Rio residents better infrastructure. They come from developed the GDP rankings.” The answer, according to experienced Olympic world that experiences the Olympics,” senior - known as Cariocas - will feel pride over how countries. You have to compare Rio to Rio.” officials and experts, is a mixed bag. Yes, Brazil man- Canadian IOC member Dick Pound said. they’ve put on the world’s biggest sports event and When Rio was chosen as host city seven years EMBARRASSING SETBACKS aged to pull it off under difficult economic and International Olympic Committee vice presi- will cherish their moments on the global stage. ago, IOC members were convinced the time had The athletes produced the goods - Bolt with political conditions, with the sports competitions, dent John Coates of Australia acknowledged the And, for the host country, the games are ending come to take the games to South America. Brazil three more gold medals to take his career tally to venues, athletes, friendly hosts, television images games have not run as smoothly as desired. “It’s on a delirious high-with a gold medal in men’s soc- was a rising economic force at the time. But local nine, Michael Phelps with five more golds for a total and Rio’s scenic backdrops all rising to the occasion. been difficult,” he said. “To be fair, some of that was cer. Brazilian fans wanted more than anything to organizers quickly fell behind in preparations and of 23, and gymnast Simone Biles with four golds. Yet, behind the scenes, these were also troubled because of the economic and political background finally win the top Olympic prize that has eluded were forced into an Athens-like mad dash to catch But the games also were marred by the bad behav- Olympics that fell short in other areas - empty seats, on which the games are being held.” them in their national sport. up. Then, over the last two years, the economy ior - and concocted stories - of Ryan Lochte and his ticket fiascos, organizational mishaps, spread-out Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes said the Olympics have plummeted into its worst recession in 80 years, the US swimming teammates. venues, green water, street crime, traffic chaos and SHORTAGES been a catalyst for building new public transport country was engulfed by a massive corruption For all the drumbeat of bad news in the months lack of a clear Olympic feel in the parks. For Olympic historian David Wallechinsky, lines and renovating the port area, insisting that no scandal centering on the state-run oil company ahead of the Olympics, two of the biggest issues The Olympics on TV are never the same as the attending his 17th games, the shortage of volun- white elephants will be left behind. Comparing Rio Petrobras, and the president was suspended and caused barely a ripple. The Zika virus, which had led Olympics on site. That’s been the case more than teers, lack of Olympic signage and other logistical to the richer cities that lost out for the 2016 Games sent for impeachment. some scientists to call for the games to be postponed ever this time, reminiscent of the 1996 Games in glitches have outweighed the well-run competi- would be misguided, he said. “It’s also a games in the middle of reality, not or moved, was hardly mentioned. Worries over Rio’s Atlanta, where great sporting moments contrasted tions and welcoming Brazilian people. “We come from a tropical experience, the Latin organized in a bubble,” IOC President Thomas Bach sewage-filled waters did not hamper the competi- with lost buses, failures in the technology system “I think these games will be seen in the continu- ways of Brazil, which sometimes made the IOC said Saturday. “They were games in a city where tions, with only a handful of athletes falling ill. —AP