The Weightlifting Federation of the Republic of Moldova challenges the results of the weightlifting event at the Olympic Games, the men’s up to 89 kg class, in which Moldova’s Marin Robu ranked fourth. The National Olympic and Sports Committee of the Republic of Moldova filed an appeal with the International Weightlifting Federation, the first instance, requesting the repeated assessment of the situation and the correctness of the jury’s decision, IPN reports.
Under Olympic Games’ regulations, any appeal must be filed by the National Olympic Committee.
The Weightlifting Federation challenges the assessment of Italy’s Antonino Pizzolato, who won the bronze medal. The Federation noted that the IWF-TCRR regulations 2.5.1.5 stipulate that bending or extending the elbows is an incorrect movement. “The referees correctly assessed the third attempt by the Italian athlete Antonino Pizzolato. The athlete received three no-lifts and the jury validated this attempt, which is a serious violation of the regulations,” reads a press release.
If the response of the International Weightlifting Federation is not positive, the Weightlifting Federation of the Republic of Moldova will appeal the jury’s decision to the International Sports Tribunal.
Weightlifter Marin Robu also asked for justice. In a video on Facebook, he said that his opponent from Italy, Antonio Pizzolato, lifted a weight of 212 kg incorrectly, in breach of the regulations. The judges did not award a valid attempt, and later they appealed to the jury, but the jury validated the attempt. “I ask for justice to be done to me as everyone should see that it was an unsuccessful attempt,” stated Marin Robu.
In the weightlifting event, Marin Robu occupied the third position, being outstripped by Bulgaria’s Karlos May Nasar and Colombia’s Yeison Lopez. After several unsuccessful attempts, the Italian athlete occupied the last places in the rankings, but the last attempt was validated by the jury although the referees declared it unsuccessful. Thus, the Italian athlete ranked third and Marin Robu finished fourth.
