The official Weightlifting Start List (PDF Warning) is out.

A couple of changes piled up in the last days. If you find more, let me know.

Team Albania:

Hysen Pulaku tests positive (via)

According to a report of the Albanian Olympic Committee, Pulaku resulted positive with doping during the CIO surprise control for the Olympic Games in London. Pulaku did not accept the result of the test, saying that he has not consumed prohibited substances, and has agreed to undergo a second test.

Thanks Ian for the bad news :/

Update #1: Hysen’s B sample was positive too.

The IOC said Pulaku tested positive for a banned steroid, stanozolol, on July 23, and that a backup ”B” sample confirmed the result.

Update #2: Comment from the Podium Gold YouTube Account.

We don’t know all the details. Hysen swears he has not taken any illegal substances. There will be a second test. We will just have to wait. Obviously we are concerned but we will give him the benefit of the doubt. Apparently they are testing all the supplements and anything else in his possession as well to determine if anything was tainted. As soon as we know anything, we will post it, good or bad.

On his supplement use they say:

He took protein, Podium Gold and B-12 here. We obviously may not know everything he has taken but for now, we will give him the benefit of the doubt. If he made a mistake, we won’t turn our backs on him but we will not defend him either if he has taken something knowingly. We will see how this unfolds. Regardless, we will not ban him from our gym.

Update #3: This time by Alex Krychev

If Hysen decides to return to the US, we will not turn our backs on him but we will be much stricter in terms of him following a regular testing regimen. We have not spoken with him after the incident so we do not know what his future plans are. His work ethic and commitment are unquestioned. We will not abandon him as long as he commits to our guidelines going forward. We’ll keep you updated.

Consequences: (Thanks Ian for the info)

Not only is a lifter banned for 4 years, but when they return they cannot compete at ANY Olympic Games, nor can they score points at any Olympic qualifying event. (via Olympics Anti Doping Rules PDF)

Update #4: According to the IWF sanctioned athletes page Hysen is banned for 2 years, until 27.07.2014.

Update 27.09.2014: It was confirmed by the IWF to the Albanian federation that Hysen can lift at the Rio Olympics!

Team Russia:

Oksana Slivenko (69kg) injured herself (via).

Stepping in for her: Natalia Zabolotnaya (75kg)

Thanks to Nat Arem (Hookgrip on Facebook).

Team Great Britain:

Peter Kirkbride – @KirkbridePeter (94kg) wasn’t initially selected for the team, but won an appeal. BTW he also has a YouTube Channel.

Thanks to Alan and Phil.

Team Finland:

Miika Antti-Roiko is going to be competing in London.

Team Azerbaijan:

Ivan Stoitsov (85kg) out, due to knee injury, replaced by Sadar Hasanov (62kg) (via).

Team Poland:

Marzena Karpińska (48kg) is out because of the presence of high levels of the synthetic steroid, at a sample from the June 2nd Polish Championships (via).

Joanna Łochowska (53 kg) takes her spot on the team.

Thanks to Thomas for the info.

Team Turkey:

Fatih Baydar (85kg) and İbrahim Arat (94kg) were tested positive for banned substances in samples from July 7 and were left out of the squad (via).

Stepping in for them are Bünyamin Sezer (62kg) and Nezir Sağır (85kg, two-year-older brother of Taner Sagir)

Not really last minute, but I hadn’t seen it before. Nurcan Taylan gets a 4 year ban (via).

Team Belarus:

Well, you already heard that Andreij Aramnau dropped out. Ruslan Novikau (85kg) takes his spot.