Armenian lifter Sona Poghosyan fails drug test: IWFApril 3, 2018 - 10:37 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenia's Sona Poghosyan is among two athletes to have failed a drugs test, the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) has announced, according to Inside the Games. The lifter failed for GHRP-2, a growth hormone, while Ukraine's former European champion Oleksandr Pielieshenko tested positive for chlorthalidone, a medication used to treat high blood pressure. Both of them participated in the Olympics and have been provisionally suspended. News of Poghosyan's positive comes after allegations of widespread cheating in Armenian weightlifting emerged in the media recently. The Armenian won overall bronze in the under-75kg class at the 2017 European Championships. Weightlifting has been warned by the IOC that it must address its doping problem if it is to retain its place on the Olympic programme at the Paris 2024 Games. Ukraine and Armenia are among the nine nations currently serving a one-year ban issued by the IWF. All nine had three or more of the 49 positives revealed when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) retested samples from the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games in Beijing and London using up-to-date technology. 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 | International cybercrime ringleaders arrested in Armenia, Ukraine Europol, Europe's crime agency, has arrested four ringleaders of several cybercrime networks that used botnets. Armenia skips CSTO Defense Ministers meeting A meeting of the Council of Defense Ministers of the Collective Security Treaty Organization countries began in Almaty. Armenian, Iranian foreigh policy chief talk over the phone The Foreign Minister of Armenia once again expressed condolences to his counterpart on the death of the President of Iran. Armenia, U.S. customs authorities to boost assistance with new deal The government has approved an agreement with the U.S. government on mutual assistance between the customs authorities. |