Armenian lifter to receive bronze after Georgian athlete fails drugs testDecember 19, 2017 - 18:41 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenian athlete Mkrtich Mkrtchyan will be awarded the bronze medal of the European Junior & U23 Weightlifting Championships after Georgia’s representative failed a drugs test. Mkrtchyan competed in the 105 kg weight category in the championships, held on October 15-21 in Durres, Albania, Secretary General of the Armenian Weightlifting Federation Pashik Alaverdyan told reporters on Tuesday, December 19. According to Alaverdyan, the federations of nine countries suspended from weightlifting amid a doping scandal are still serving the one-year ban and must pay a $50,000 penalty. Alaverdyan expressed regret that athletes who have done nothing wrong are punished too. Countries with at least three doping offences from the 2008 and 2012 Olympics were suspended. The IWF started pursuing the suspensions before last year's Olympics, but the process was held up by legal challenges. Also suspended were Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Moldova, Turkey, and Ukraine. Top stories Armenian gymnast, Olympic bronze medalist Artur Davtyan has reached the finals of the World Cup. Gor Manvelyan has denied reports alleging that he has expressed a desire to one day play for the French national team. Roma midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan is not considering FC Spartak Moscow as his next haven, according to fresh reports. 10 Armenian lifters will compete in the 2021 World Championships scheduled to be held from 7 to 17 December in Tashkent. Partner news | Erdogan wants “realistic road map” for relations with Armenia Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called for a “new realistic road map” for relations with Armenia. Armenia-Azerbaijan: Experts launch work on determining coordinates Expert groups from the countries started the process of determining the coordinates based on geodetic measurements. Yerevan says did not expect CSTO in peacekeeping role Pashinyan has declared that the CSTO would be expected to come to the Armenia-Azerbaijan border as an ally of Armenia Armenia not going to war over Karabakh, says Pashinyan Armenia is not preparing to fight a war for Nagorno Karabakh, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in an interview. |