Turkish Weightlifting Federation resigns in full amid doping scandal

ISTANBUL

Hasan Akkuş, Former Chairman of Turkish Weightlifting Federation. AA photo/MUSTAFA TAS

The Turkish Weightlifting Federation has collectively resigned in the wake of a doping scandal, Chairman Hasan Akkuş announced Jan. 25.

Five Turkish athletes tested positive for doping during the European Under-23 Championships in Israel.

“This is hard to take for us,” Akkuş told Anatolia news agency. “If doping is here, then we are not. We decided on a collective resignation.”

The Turkish Weightlifting Federation came under scrutiny after Turkey finished the 2012 London Olympic Games without a medal in weightlifting, which is usually deemed one of Turkey’s strengths in the Olympics.

Two Turkish weightlifters, Fatih Baydar and İbrahim Arat, were also left out of the Olympic squad a day before the Games after testing positive for banned substances.