Chinese weightlifting champion banned for doping

Chinese Olympic weightlifting champion Liao Hui said Friday he would appeal a nearly three-year suspension for doping that would prevent him from competing at the London Games, state media said Friday. Liao appeared on a list of 10 banned weightlifters issued by the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) and would be suspended until September 30, 2014, the official Xinhua news agency said. The 24-year-old won the gold medal in the 69 kilogramme category at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. He went on to take gold at the world championships in 2009 and 2010, when he set new world records for the clean and jerk and the total. But last year he tested positive for a banned substance called boldebolin and was stripped of his 2010 gold medal and world records, Xinhua said. Since then he has missed the Asian Games, the Asian championships and the 2011 world championships, citing a shoulder injury. Liao on Friday was quoted by Xinhua as saying that he was innocent. "According to the latest explanation by the World Anti-Doping Agency, boldebolin can be produced by the human body," he said. "I also found irregularities in the storing, transport and testing of urine samples. In order to prove my innocence, I will bring the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport." China has had doping issues with its athletes in the past. Their 2008 Olympic judo gold medallist Tong Wen was banned for two years for testing positive to the steroid clenbuterol, and national 100m champion Wang Jing was banned for life after testing positive for epitestosterone. China dominated the weightlifting medals at the 2008 Olympics. The IWF said at the time that tests of the country's athletes failed to turn up any positive results and the country's success was due to talent and preparation. Contacted by AFP, the China Weightlifting Association said it was unaware of Liao's ban.