Azerbaijan to send only 2 athletes to Tokyo Olympics

Baku. 13 April. REPORT.AZ/ Azerbaijani National Weightlifting Team allowed to send only 2 athletes to Tokyo Olympics in 2020.

Report informs citing the Reuters, the reason is violation of the anti-doping rules by team members. In addition to Azerbaijan, Russia, Armenia, Belarus and Kazakhstan will be represented by 2 athletes at the Olympic Games. According to new rules of the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF), national associations that violate anti-doping rules up to 19 times in 2008-2020 cannot be represented by more than 2 athletes at the Olympics.

Azerbaijan has been because 5 athletes repeatedly failed doping test. Sardar Hasanov (62 kg), Intigam Zairov (85 kg) and Nizami Pashayev (94 kg) failed test at Beijing Olympics, Boyanka Kostova (58 kg) and Intigam Zairov (94 kg) in London Olympics. Athletes will miss World Championship from November 27 to December 5, 2017, and European Championship, which will be held from March 23 to April 1, 2018.