With less than two months to go for the Rio Olympic Games in August, Egypt received news that its weightlifter, Tarek Yehia Abdel-Azim, could be awarded a bronze medal in the 85kg weightlifting competition held in the 2012 London Olympic Games. Abdel-Azim finished fourth in London while Adrian Edward Zielinski of Poland win the gold, Apti Aukhadov of Russia the silver and Iran's Kianoush Rostami the bronze medal. But a recent report from the World Anti-Doping Agency revealed that the London sample of silver medalist Aukhadov had been tested positive for doping. Accordingly, Abdel-Azim would take the bronze medal when the IOC strips the silver medal from Aukhadov. The bronze medalist Rostami will receive the silver. And yet another Egyptian could improve his 2012 Olympic position in the same weight category. Abdel-Hay Saad Abdel-Razek will jump from sixth to fifth. A total of 6,250 samples was the maximum number of doping samples tested in the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics Games of London. The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) had issued a public disclosure which included 10 overall male and female weightlifters whose samples were all positive. “The IWF reports that as a consequence of the IOC's re-analyses of samples from the 2012 London Olympic Games, the samples of athletes have returned adverse analytical findings. “In line with the relevant rules and regulations, the IWF imposed mandatory provisional suspensions upon the athletes, who remain provisionally suspended in view of potential anti-doping rule violations until their cases are closed. “Following the IOC's decisions, the IWF will be in a position to take over the results of these cases. The IWF will report the current standing of the Beijing re-analytical cases as soon as possible. Should it be determined in any of the cases that no anti-doping violation was committed, the relevant decision shall also be published. The IWF will not make any further comments on the cases until they are closed,” the statement said. The Egyptian Weightlifting Federation, the Egyptian Olympic Committee and the Ministry of Youth and Sports were all thrilled by the news. In a meeting with the federations which are going to the Olympic Games, Minister of Youth and Sports Khaled Abdel-Aziz received Abdel-Azim to congratulate him. Definitely, Abdel-Azim was the happiest of them all. “I can't believe it happened after four years but I had really trained hard for the previous Games and was hoping for a medal. I was so close. I placed fourth, and was so disappointed when I lost the chance to reach the podium. I am really looking forward to receiving the medal,” Abdel-Azim told the media. “Once we receive official news from the IOC and the IWF, the athlete will be awarded the same prize set for the bronze medal winners in the 2012 London Games,” Abdel-Aziz said. Egypt won two silver medals in the London Games, in wrestling and fencing.
