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No grounds to prove Vietnamese weightlifter doped

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-10-07 14:23

HANOI-- A Vietnamese sports official said that there is no ground to prove the Olympic silver medal winner Vietnamese weightlifter Hoang Anh Tuan had been duped into doping during his training in Bulgaria before the Beijing Olympics, The Youth reported on Tuesday.

Hoang Anh Tuan Vietnam competes in the men's 56kg Group A weightlifting snatch competition at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games August 10, 2008.[Agencies]

In response to a recent report by a local sports newspaper about Tuan's involvement in dope, Vuong Bich Thang, deputy head of Vietnam Administration of Sports and Physical Training, said the report is groundless.

Tuan's coach had to provide reports on the training process and the athlete's activities in Bulgaria on a regular basis while they were there, said Thang.

"Hence, there is no grounds to justify Tuan had been doping during his overseas training prior to the 2008 Olympic Games," he said.

In 2008, Tuan's doping test, including the check after he won the Olympic silver medal, all turned negative, he said.

Bulgaria withdrew its national weightlifting team from the Beijing Olympics prior to the game after 11 members of the team failed dope tests. A Vietnamese sports newspaper recently reported that Tuan had been tricked into doping while he received training there.