More doping sanctions on the international sports scene

The sports world continued to deal with issues of widespread doping on Thursday as a champion runner from Spain and weightlifters from Bulgaria were hit with heavy sanctions.

Steeplechaser Marta Dominguez was banned for three years and could be stripped of her gold medal from the 2009 world championships, the Court of Arbitration for Sport announced on Thursday.

If that medal is taken away, it could be awarded to Yuliya Zaripova of Russia, who has been penalized for doping and whose national track federation is currently under suspension.

Also on Thursday, the international weightlifting federation concluded its meetings in Houston by announcing that Bulgarian lifters will not be allowed to participate in the upcoming 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Numerous male and female team members from that country have tested positive during the Olympic qualification period.

Doping has been at the heart of recent scandals involving not only the Russians but also the international track federation and its former president, Lamine Diack.