The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has issued sanctions against three Russian weightlifters for anti-doping violations, extending a period of ineligibility for each athlete. Among those sanctioned is Mikhail Gobeev, who previously earned silver at the 2010 European Championships and held the title of 2009 Russian champion, according to materials released by the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) and reported by TASS.
In addition to Gobeev, Armen Alekyan, who won the 2012 European Youth Championship, and Dmitry Chaly, the 2013 Russian Cup champion, received suspensions. The punishments were based on findings from the Moscow anti-doping laboratory’s LIMS database and relate to violations committed in 2012.
The three athletes face a four-year disqualification window, significantly impacting their competitive careers. Gobeev’s ban is set to conclude in April 2026, Alekyan’s in June 2026, and Chaly’s in September 2026, marking a shared period of exclusion that reflects strict enforcement against doping in the sport.
Earlier, on May 12, 2023, the IWF board approved a policy allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under neutral status in international events. Athletes granted neutral status are required to wear solid gray uniforms during competition and adhere to the IWF’s guidelines for representation and conduct while competing under neutral auspices.
In related context, a Russian athlete who has previously taken part in three Olympic Games faced doping-related disqualification, underscoring ongoing efforts to maintain fairness across weightlifting competitions at the highest levels.
These actions illustrate how the IWF and CAS continue to monitor and enforce anti-doping rules, reinforcing accountability within the sport and ensuring that results reflect clean competition. The case highlights the importance of robust testing programs, the reliability of laboratory databases, and the ongoing commitment of governing bodies to safeguard athlete health and the integrity of weightlifting on the world stage.