GENEVA, May 7 (Xinhua) -- The International Testing Agency (ITA) on Thursday announced anti-doping decisions involving four athletes, including three weightlifters and one gymnast.

Under the independent anti-doping program administered by the ITA for the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF), Belarusian weightlifter Yauheni Tsikhantsou tested positive for growth hormone following an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF).

Tsikhantsou, whose sample was collected on March 8, 2026, has been notified of the result, while a decision on sanctions is still pending.

Turkish weightlifter Batuhan Akbas was also notified of an AAF after testing positive for a metandienone metabolite during an out-of-competition doping control.

According to the ITA, Azerbaijani weightlifter Nurlan Rasulov received a five-year ban after testing positive for substances including testosterone of exogenous origin, androsterone, etiocholanolone, adiol(s), as well as boldenone and its metabolite. The samples were collected during doping controls conducted before and during the 2025 European Junior and U23 Championships.

The ITA also confirmed that Romanian gymnast Ana Maria Barbosu was charged with an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) for committing three whereabouts failures within 12 months, and that a provisional suspension has been imposed on the athlete.

Barbosu has requested that the case be referred to the Court of Arbitration for Sport for adjudication. ■