Wrestling News: In a letter to the United World Wrestling (UWW) president Nenad Lalovic, Iran’s National Olympic Committee has asked for the modify Komeil Ghasemi’s 2012 Olympic medal. The Iran wrestler had originally won bronze in then 120 kg freestyle but was later upgraded to gold after the first and second-placed wrestlers failed the dope test.
The President of National Olympic Committee of Iran Reza Salehi Amiri called for an acceleration in the process to make a new ranking for 120-kilogram weight category.
Back in mid-July 2019, Ghasemi was on the verge of winning a gold medal at the freestyle wrestling after Artur Taymazov was stripped of a second Olympic gold medal for doping in London 2012. The International Olympic Committee said at the time that Taymazov, who already lost his 2008 gold medal for doping, was stripped of the 2012 gold in the 120kg category.
The IOC said he tested positive for the banned steroid turinabol when his sample from the 2012 games was retested using more modern lab technology.
Even if Taymazov’s argument were true, the commission ruled, it would still be fair to disqualify him from the 2012 event. It also noted Taymazov couldn’t explain why the banned substance was found in his system in the first place.
The silver medalist, Davit Modzmanashvili, was already disqualified back in January 2019. That leaves the event with only its two bronze medalists — Iranian Komeil Ghasemi and Russian Bilyal Makhov — until the IOC decides whether it will reallocate the medals.