Hungarian anti-doping body rejects claims of systematic doping at weightlifting events

The Hungarian anti-doping body (MACS) on Monday rejected claims of a documentary of the German state broadcaster ARD, which alleged systematic doping in weightlifting events supervised by the body.

Aired on Sunday, the documentary levelled serious charges against Tamás Aján, the president of the Budapest-based International Weightlifting Federation (IWF), saying

systematic doping was practised with the knowledge of the body.

IWF had commissioned MACS with supervising all large-scale competitions and almost all world championships, the documentary said.

In a statement signed by managing director Ágnes Tiszekér, MACS said that the German state broadcaster had disregarded the facts provided by the body.

“Vague, malignant insinuations” have presented the work of MACS doping controllers in a “false and unacceptable light”, the statement said.

As an independent controlling body, MACS is only responsible for collecting samples, and has no feedback or information on the results, the statement said. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), of which MACS is an accredited partner, has full access to the documentation of the work done in cooperation with IWF, the statement said, adding MACS had received no reports of breaches by staff or “behaviour jeopardising the purity or integrity of the sample.”

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In a statement released on Monday, IWF said it “categorically denies the unsubstantiated and very serious accusations made against it by the show”.

IWF said an English-language transcription of the show and the ARD’s research findings have been requested and if necessary, independent external help will be used to investigate the issues raised. The organisation insisted that it had always operated in line with the WADA code.

Source: MTI