Egypt’s weightlifting legend and Olympic medalist Mohamed Ihab announced that he officially won’t be participating in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The International Weightlifting Federation had decided to ban Egypt from participating in weightlifting competitions two years ago.
The decision came after it was proven that the Egyptian Weightlifting Federation (EWF) was doping its athletes during the Youth African games.
The EWF had appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, but the decision was upheld. Ihab then filed an individual appeal, which was also denied, meaning that he will officially not be able to participate in the Olympics as he announced on his Facebook page.
“It’s over… After five years of hard work and struggle, I won’t be participating in the Olympics, not because I didn’t qualify or because of a problem with my tests.
“If the world is unjust, then God will bring us justice. And if it’s not today, then tomorrow his promise will be fulfilled, god willing. I hope god rewards me in my calamity and gives me something better than it,” he wrote.
Mohamed Ihab is considered as an Egyptian legend in weightlifting, especially after winning the bronze medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics, at the Men’s 77kg competition. In 2017, he won the gold medal in the World Championships and finished second on three other occasions.
