Ms. Natallia Mikhnevich is a Belarussian Athlete competing in the Women’s shot put athletics event at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
In 2016, the IOC decided to perform further analyses on certain samples collected during the 2008 Olympic Games. These additional analyses were performed with analytical methods which were not available in 2008.
In May 2016 the International Olympic Committee reported an anti-doping rule violation against the Athlete after her 2008 A sample tested positive for the prohibited substances dehydrochlormethyltestosterone (turinabol), oxandrolone, metandienone and stanozolol.
Analysis of the Athlete’s B sample tested positive for the two prohibited substances metandienone and stanozolol.
After notification the Athlete submitted that she did not challenge the test results and she waived his right to be heard for the IOC Disciplinary Commission.
The Commission finds that the Athlete did not challenge the test results and concludes that the Athlete has committed an anti-doping rule violation consistent with the intentional use of prohibited substances specifically ingested to deliberately improve performance. The fact that the metabolites of two doping substances, which are “classical” doping substances, were found, supports this consideration.
The Commission notes that in April 2013 the IAAF already had imposed a 2 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete after her sample tested positive for the prohibited subsance stanozolol, which in addition is one of the substances found in this case. This fact more than suggests that the Athlete has been using doping on a regular basis throughout her career. She could evade detection until the new methods based on long-term metabolites finally exposed her.
Therefore the IOC Disciplinary Commission decides on 22 November 2016 that the Athlete, Natallia Mikhnevich:
1.) is found to have committed an anti-doping rule violation pursuant to the IOC Anti-Doping Rules applicable to the Games of the XXIX Olympiad in Beijing in 2008,
2.) is disqualified from the Women’s shot put event in which she participated upon the occasion of the Olympic Games Beijing 2008, and
3.) has the medal, the medallist pin and the diploma obtained in the Women’s shot put event withdrawn and is ordered to return the same.
4.) The IAAF is requested to modify the results of the above-mentioned event accordingly and to consider any further action within its own competence.
5.) The National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Belarus shall ensure full implementation of this decision.
6.) The National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Belarus shall notably secure the return to the IOC, as soon as possible, of the medal, medallist pin and diploma awarded in connection with the Women’s shot put event to the Athlete.
7.) This decision enters into force immediately.
