Valentin Hristov (weightlifter, born 1994)

Valentin Hristov (Bulgarian: Валентин Христов, Azerbaijani: Valentin Xristov, born 30 March 1994) is a Bulgarian naturalized Azerbaijani[1] weightlifter. He was initially awarded and subsequently stripped of a bronze medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics, which would have been Azerbaijan's first-ever Olympic medal in this discipline.[2]

Valentin Hristov
Personal information
NationalityBulgarian / Azerbaijani
Born (1994-03-30) 30 March 1994 (age 30)
Shumen, Bulgaria
Height1.56 m (5 ft 1+12 in)
Weight62 kg (137 lb)
Sport
Country Azerbaijan
SportWeightlifting
Event62 kg
Coached byZlatan Vanev
Medal record
Representing  Azerbaijan
Men's weightlifting
Summer Olympics
Disqualified 2012 London -56 kg
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2011 Paris -56 kg
Disqualified 2015 Houston -62 kg
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 2012 Antalya -56 kg
Disqualified 2013 Tirana -62 kg
Gold medal – first place 2015 Tbilisi -62 kg

Hristov's personal trainer is Zlatan Vanev.[3] He has been competing for Azerbaijan since 2011.[4]

Doping

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As a result of a positive drug test for Dehydromethyltestosterone (turinabol), he was disqualified from the 2013 European Championships and had received a two-year ban starting from 9 April 2013 till 9 April 2015.[5][6] Four other athletes from the Azerbaijani team also tested positive and as a result the federation has been forced to pay a fine of $500,000.[7][8][9]

At the 2015 World Weightlifting Championships he was caught using Nandrolone, he was the original bronze medalist but has since had his results disqualified.[10][11] He is banned from 14 December 2015 to 14 December 2023, this being a longer suspension due to it being his second offense. He was among six other athletes from the Azerbaijani team that tested positive.

On 22 December 2018, it was announced that as a consequence of the International Olympic Committee’s re-analysis program in connection with the 2012 London Olympic Games Hristov had tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs.[12]

In March 2019 he was disqualified from the 2012 Summer Olympics after the re-analysis of his samples, and was stripped of the bronze medal. Hristov tested positive for oralturinabol.[13]

References

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  1. ^ "Chinas Gewichtheber geben bei WM-Auftakt Ton an". ftd.de. 2011-11-05. Archived from the original on 2012-08-04. Retrieved 2011-11-05.
  2. ^ Ilham Aliyev: 'Well-Done, Hristov..!'. Azerisport.com. 30 July 2012.
  3. ^ Българинът Валентин Христов спечели медал на Олимпиадата, но за Азербайджан. sporta.bg. 29 July 2012.
  4. ^ Азербайджан – България 1:0 с автогол, но така се налага. dnevnik.bg. 30 July 2012.
  5. ^ "Sanctioned athletes | International Weightlifting Federation". Archived from the original on 2014-04-07. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
  6. ^ "Official Communication". 19 March 2014. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
  7. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-03-19. Retrieved 2014-03-20.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. ^ "Weightlifting News: Team Azerbaijan Banned *Update* 18 Athletes". 12 April 2014. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
  9. ^ "IWF Executive Board sanctions Federation of Azerbaijan for multiple doping cases". 1 April 2014. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
  10. ^ IWF.net. "Sanctioned Athletes". Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  11. ^ IWF.net (16 December 2015). "Public Disclosure". Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  12. ^ "PUBLIC DISCLOSURE - IWF". IWF. 22 December 2018.
  13. ^ IOC DISCIPLINARY COMMISSION DECISION REGARDING VALENTIN HRISTOV, International Olympic Committee, 27 March 2019.
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