"Doppelgangers" are said to have given fake doping samples for weightlifters

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Other suspected cases of doping in weightlifting: "Deeply rooted doping culture"

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The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) has painted a gloomy picture of the situation in weightlifting in a report and writes, among other things, about new suspected cases.

18 weightlifters from six countries were able to prove the use of foreign urine by means of DNA profile analyzes.

The report speaks of the use of "doppelgangers" who pretend to be athletes and are said to have given doping tests for them.

The World Weightlifting Federation (IMF) has not yet commented on the report.

The International Test Agency (ITA) will now decide on possible sanctions.

"The Wada is horrified"

The Wada report (you can download the document here) speaks of structural problems in the sport.

There is a disturbing trend towards a culture of silence and fear within sport.

Many athletes have little or no confidence that their national associations and the world federation would protect their interests and the interests of the sport.

"Wada is appalled by what the investigative unit has found," said Wada President Witold Banka: "For far too long, clean weightlifters have had to deal with a deeply rooted doping culture in their sport."

For the sport of weightlifting, the report is another blow.

Only last week, an internal power struggle at the head of the world association IMF caused massive criticism.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) had even questioned the place of the sport in the program of the 2024 Summer Games in Paris after the disempowerment of the interim president Ursula Papandrea.

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bka / sid / dpa / Reuters