Three-time Olympic weightlifting champion and five-time world champion Xiaojun Lyu has been handed a provisional suspension after testing positive for a banned substance.
The 38-year-old won the gold medal in the men’s -81kg competition at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, having also won the -77kg title at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Games.
A report from the International Testing Agency (ITA) has revealed that the Chinese athlete returned a positive out-of-competition test for erythropoietin (EPO) in October, and he has been provisionally suspended as a result.
EPO is used to stimulate red blood cell production, which can therefore have benefits on an athlete’s stamina and endurance as more oxygen is transported around the body.
