Lukashenka decorated the athlete with the order after her winning gold in women’s shot put.
Shot putter Nadzieja Astapchuk, who has been disqualified by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for doping, may not be stripped of the Third-class Order of the Fatherland that she was awarded by Aliaksandr Lukashenka for winning an Olympic gold medal in London, Paviel Liohki, spokesman for the Belarusian leader, said in an interview with the Russian newspaper Izvestia.
“There was a biased attitude toward Belarusians at this Olympics,” Mr. Liohki said. “Examples to this point are well known: boxing and weightlifting. The [IOC] decision to strip Nadzieja of the medal will certainly be appealed…. One should not jump to conclusions…. She is a really distinguished person and deserves a government award.”
According to Mr. Liohki, he would not like to look for underlying political reasons or signs of dirty sports competition until the appeal process has been completed, but afterwards Belarus will issue an official statement regarding the improper attitude to its athletes on the part of official Olympic bodies.
The IOC announced on Monday that Astapchuk, 31, had tested positive for the steroid metenolone and would have to return her medal.
“The athlete was first requested to provide a urine sample for a doping control on 5 August,” the IOC said in a statement. “She competed the next day in the women’s shot put event, where she placed first, and was asked to provide a sample straight after her competition. Both samples indicated the presence of metenolone, which is classified as anabolic agent under the 2012 Prohibited List.”
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