“The award found him absolutely deservedly”: wrestler Makhov recognized as champion of the 2012 Olympics

Freestyle wrestler Bilyal Makhov was declared the champion of the 2012 Olympics in London after disqualifying the winner of the tournament in the weight category up to 120 kg Artur Taymazov and silver medalist Davit Modzmanashvili. The second owner of gold was the Iranian Comel Gasemi. Bronze medals went to Kazakhstani Daulet Shabanbai and American Tervel Dlagnev.

Modzmanashvili and Taymazov became aware of doping rule violations last year. In January, an oral-turinabol steroid was found in samples of a Georgian wrestler. A second analysis confirmed the presence of the prohibited drug, and a silver medal automatically went to Makhov, who lost to Davit in the semifinals of the Olympic tournament.

In July, an additional autopsy of samples showed the same substance in the analyzes of Taimazov, who advocated for Uzbekistan. It is interesting that this is not the first time he has lost the gold of the Olympics. In 2017, the athlete was also convicted of violating doping rules at the 2008 Games in Beijing. Thanks to this, the Russian champion Bakhtiyar Akhmedov was recognized as the champion in the weight category up to 120 kg. At the same time, Taymazov remains a triumph for two more Olympics: Athens 2004 and the silver medalist of Sydney 2000.

Thus, for the first time, the results of both the gold and silver medalists of the Olympic Games were canceled. The decision to redistribute the seats was to be taken by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the United World of Wrestling (UWW).

Various options were considered, including the appropriation of gold only to Hasemi, who lost to Taymazov. The Russian Wrestling Federation (FSBR) announced its readiness to do everything possible so that it was Makhov who won the medal, in favor of which the greater number of points scored for the entire tournament spoke. In turn, representatives of the Olympic Committee of Iran tried to exert pressure on international organizations and called for the resolution of the issue of awards as soon as possible.

As a result, a year after the discovery of doping at Taymazov, both Makhov and Gasemi were recognized as winners of the tournament. There were no similar precedents in the fight at the Olympic Games. Corresponding changes have already been made to the final protocols of the competition.

The FSBR welcomed the decision of the IOC. According to the president of the organization, Mikhail Mamiashvili, it would be incorrect to select only one winner in absentia. In addition, he noted the impartiality of all organizations involved in the process.

“An argument was sent from the FSBR, which was heard and deeply analyzed. The process lasted a year, there were a lot of questions, a lot of consultations, and the decision in the current situation about two gold medals was the only right one, ”commented the decision of the IOC Mamiashvili.

He added that the Russian wrestler with his work earned the Olympic award.

“So many trials fell on his fate, so many difficulties - this is poisoning, and the mass of operations, and a series of bitter defeats - but he never looked for excuses and, in spite of everything, he went forward. Such patience is fully rewarded. I would like to emphasize his position: in any situation Bilyal was looking for a problem only in himself. Knowing all this, you can be sure that the award found him absolutely deservedly, ”concluded the President of the FSBR.

With the award of the gold medal, Makhov was also congratulated in their small homeland. The head of Kabardino-Balkaria, Kazbek Kokov, turned to the athlete through social networks.

“I sincerely congratulate Bilyal and the coaching staff on the well-deserved award,” Kokov wrote.

View this Instagram post

Publication by Kazbek Kokov (@kokov_kazbek_) Jul 14, 2020 at 1:43 PDT

It is worth adding that Makhov is currently a person involved in the doping business. In early February 2020, growth hormone was detected in his samples. The drug entered the body after surgery on the knee, neck and back and was part of the treatment. Despite the fact that the tests were given during the extra-competitive period, the athlete himself admitted negligence, as he had not notified the anti-doping services about taking the medicine in advance. If his guilt is proved, the period of ineligibility may be two years.

32-year-old Makhov won the world freestyle wrestling championship three times, and he won his first victory at the age of 20. In 2008, he was poisoned by mercury, which could not but affect his future career. He had to miss the Beijing Olympics and also refuse to move to the UFC. Due to numerous injuries, the Russian ended his sports career in 2017, but last year decided to return to get into the Olympic team for the tournament in Tokyo.