Anti-Doping

IOC Strips Modzmanashvili of 2012 Olympic Silver for Anti-Doping Violation

Thursday, January 17, 2019 - 16:37 By United World Wrestling Press

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (January 17) – The International Olympic Committee today announced that Davit MODZMANASHVILI, then an athlete of the Georgian Republic, has failed a reanalysis of his anti-doping test at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Modzmanashvili, who since 2017 has been a competitor for the National Olympic Committee of Uzbekistan, tested positive for the prohibited substance dehydrochlormethyltestosterone (oral turinabol).

Modzmanashvili earned a silver medal in freestyle wrestling at 120kg and his removal will re-shuffle the order of medalists at the 2012 London Games. Bilyal MAKHOV (RUS) will become the new silver medalist and Daulet SHABANAY (KAZ) the newest bronze medalist.

Gold: Artur TAYMAZOV (UZB)
Silver: Bilyal MAKHOV (RUS)
Bronze: Komeil GHASEMI (IRI)
Bronze: Daulet SHABANAY (KAZ)

United World Wrestling’s anti-doping disciplinary panel will now meet to determine the sanctions faced by the athlete.

#BeachWrestling

Sakurai swaps mat for sand, wins Beach Wrestling gold

Wednesday, May 14, 2025 - 09:01 By Vinay Siwach

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TOKYO (May 13) -- Paris Olympic champion Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) made a return to competition for the first time since August last year. However, it was not on the mat.

Sakurai, who won gold medal at 57kg in Paris, returned to compete in beach wrestling. She wrestled at the Japan Beach Wrestling National Team Qualifying Tournament held in Tachikawa, Tokyo on Sunday and won gold at 60kg

"It may sound strange for me to say it, but I felt that I was suited to it," Sakurai was quoted by Japan Olympic Committee.

Sakurai, who is not entered for the June 19-22 Meiji Cup, Japan's qualifying tournament for the World Championships in September, is now qualified to compete for Japan in Beach Wrestling this year.

"Since I am qualified for the international tournament, I will try to participate," she said. "I want to be number one. I'll practice on the sandy beaches of Kochi [Prefecture]."

The three-time world champion, however, did not rule out the possibility of returning to the mat soon.

"I am still practicing on the mat and when I feel like I am ready, I will be back on the mat," she said.