Anti-Doping

IOC Strips Modzmanashvili of 2012 Olympic Silver for Anti-Doping Violation

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (January 17) – The International Olympic Committee today announced that Davit MODZMANASHVILI, then an athlete of the Georgian Republic, has failed a reanalysis of his anti-doping test at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Modzmanashvili, who since 2017 has been a competitor for the National Olympic Committee of Uzbekistan, tested positive for the prohibited substance dehydrochlormethyltestosterone (oral turinabol).

Modzmanashvili earned a silver medal in freestyle wrestling at 120kg and his removal will re-shuffle the order of medalists at the 2012 London Games. Bilyal MAKHOV (RUS) will become the new silver medalist and Daulet SHABANAY (KAZ) the newest bronze medalist.

Gold: Artur TAYMAZOV (UZB)
Silver: Bilyal MAKHOV (RUS)
Bronze: Komeil GHASEMI (IRI)
Bronze: Daulet SHABANAY (KAZ)

United World Wrestling’s anti-doping disciplinary panel will now meet to determine the sanctions faced by the athlete.

Obituary

U.S. Greco-Roman star Alan Vera passes away

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (September 24) -- United States Greco-Roman wrestler and Pan-Am champion Alan VERA (USA) passed away Monday. Vera suffered a sudden cardiac arrest earlier this year and had been hospitalized since then in recovery from his serious health challenges.

Vera was born in Cuba and won a bronze medal at the 2015 Pan American Games and a gold medal at the 2016 Pan American Championships, while competing for Cuba. He immigrated to the United States and lived in Florida for a number of years. He continued to train and compete in Greco-Roman and various international events for a few years.

Vera qualified the U.S. for the Paris Olympics in 97kg at the 2024 Pan-American Olympic Qualification Tournament in Acapulco, Mexico.

Very saddened to hear about Alan Vera’s passing. In my limited time around him he was always willing to help on the mat, and offer a laugh at a terrible joke I made

— Kyle Dake (@kyledake444) September 24, 2024
 

Domestically, Vera claimed his first U.S. national title in 2020, and won four national titles during his career.

Vera was married to Elena PIROZKHOVA (USA), a two-time Olympian and former world champion.

United World Wrestling mourns the death of Vera and stands with the Vera family.