Weightlifter Anatol Ciricu, who medaled bronze at the 2012 Olympic Games, was suspended for a period of eight years from the professional sport for taking dopes, IPN reports, quoting the website of the International Weightlifting Federation.
Ciricu failed the dope test at this year’s European Championship in Georgia. At the competition in Tbilisi, he won a bronze in snatch, in the 94 kg class. The weightlifter from Cahul will thus lose the medal won in Georgia. The suspension period expires on May 11, 2023. Thus, the 26-year-old athlete ends his career prematurely.
Anatolie Ciricu also has two gold medals and a silver, won at the 2012 European Championships of Antalya, and three silver medals won at the 2011 European Championship of Kazan.
Both of the Moldovan athletes who medaled at the London Olympics - Anatolie Ciricu and Cristina Iovu – were later caught taking dopes. After deciding to represent Azerbaijan at international competitions, Cristina Iovu, who also won bronze at the 2012 Olympics, was suspended for two years, starting with June 19, 2013. In 2014, Andrei Birca also failed the dope test and was suspended, as Gheorghii Cernei and Alexandr Spac were in 2013.
