Weightlifter Tomasz Zieliński has been thrown out of the Polish Olympic team in Rio de Janeiro after testing positive for a banned substance, according to Poland's PAP news agency.

PAP quoted the Polish Weightlifting Federation (PZPC) as saying that Zieliński, this year's European champion in the 94 kg category, had tested positive in Rio.

Szymon Kołecki, the head of the federation, said: "I want to sincerely apologize to all Poles that during the Olympic Games they have to feel ashamed as the whole world looks on.”

The PZPC said in a statement that that Zieliński has been “suspended in his rights as a competitor until the end of the procedure and removed from the national team for the games in Rio. If the charges are confirmed, the competitor will face severe consequences.”

Zieliński denied he had taken substances banned under anti-doping rules.

"I honestly do not know what happened," he said. "I must be dreaming. I’m at a loss for words. For 10 years I’ve trained for our country, I spent 20 years training, and I never took banned substances.” (pk)

Source: PAP