Medalist among 7 athletes caught doping in fresh tests from 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics

By Canadian Press on January 22, 2026.

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Seven athletes from the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, including one bronze medalist, tested positive for doping in fresh analysis of their samples, the International Testing Agency said on Thursday.

The athletes caught include weightlifting medalist Aurimas Didzbalis of Lithuania and sprinter Ivet Lalova of Bulgaria, who placed eighth in the women’s 200 meters final.

“The majority of these positive re-analysis results are mainly due to technical advances,” the ITA said, with more sensitive detection of steroid traces.

Samples taken at Olympic Games are stored and can be retested for up to 10 years after their event to allow for new developments in doping science.

Four of the positive tests were for the anabolic steroid danabol, including Didzbalis, and two were for oral turinabol, the steroid most famously used in East Germany’s state-backed doping program. Lalova’s positive test was for ostarine, which has similar effects to steroids.

Didzbalis placed third in the men’s 94-kilogram class in Rio and faces being disqualified by the International Olympic Committee then stripped of his medal. The fourth-placed lifter was Sarat Sumpradit of Thailand.

Didzbalis also tested positive for doping ahead of the 2012 London Olympics and at the 2017 world championships in Anaheim, California.

Lalova advancing to the women’s 200 final denied a place in the medal race to Ella Nelson of Australia, who placed third in their semifinal and was the fastest non-qualifier. It was the only Olympic event of Nelson’s career.

Lalova also finished just outside the medals in the 100 and 200 at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

The fresh Olympic doping cases included four in weightlifting and one each in judo, wrestling and track and field.

“The athletes will also be provisionally suspended by their respective international federation,” the ITA said.

Two of the athletes came from Egypt and one each from Belarus, Olympic host Brazil, Bulgaria, Lithuania and Uzbekistan.

“These new positive cases bring the re-analysis program for the Olympic Games Rio 2016 to near completion,” the ITA said, with a total of 10 cases.

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AP Olympics at https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games

The Associated Press