Belarusians Vadim Devyatovskiy and Ivan Tsikhan Investigated for Doping

The silver and bronze medalists in the men's hammer throw at the Beijing Olympics are being investigated for doping offenses by International Olympic Committee.

Belarusians Vadim Devyatovskiy and Ivan Tsikhan tested positive for traces of testosterone after the hammer final on Aug. 17, the Russian news agency Allsport said yesterday.

An IOC disciplinary commission will meet at the end of the month to hear the case, IOC spokeswoman Emmanuelle Moreau told the Associated Press in an e-mail message.

The Belarus Athletics Federation said it had received no documents or confirmation of any positive tests by its athletes.

"How can we comment on what we do not have?" spokeswoman Anastasiya Marinina told the AP in a telephone interview. "Devyatovskiy and Tsikhan deny all the accusations. Every person can have different level of testosterone in his body."

If the two are found guilty of doping, they would be disqualified and stripped of their medals.

Devyatovskiy's silver would go to Krisztian Pars of Hungary, while Tsikhan's bronze would go to Koji Murofushi of Japan. Primoz Kozmus of Slovenia won the gold medal.

News Courtsey: Washingtonpost.com