"All athletes who participate in Olympic 2020 qualification will have to take doping tests according to the WADA regulation. The organization can conduct tests without prior warning, and athletes will have to provide samples anytime and anywhere if requested. Among 40 Vietnamese athletes, four weightlifters will be monitored closely as the discipline suffers a higher doping rate than other sports," said Nguyen Van Phu, director of VADA.
In February 2019, Trinh Van Vinh, weightlifting world champion, SEA Games 29 gold medalist and ASIAD 2018 runner-up in the 61kg category, tested positive for illegal substance use. As a result, WADA banned the athlete for four years. Vinh only started training again this year though he can only compete again in 2023.
"I was shocked but feel more optimistic now. I have spent lots of time thinking and decided to start all over, without any achievement," said Vinh.
Top lifters Thach Kim Tuan, Hoang Thi Duyen and Vuong Thi Huyen will now undergo doping tests before and after all regional, continental and world tournaments, as the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) recently announced it would test Vietnamese lifters using stricter anti-doping measures.
At 2020 Rome Weightlifting World Cup in January, Tuan and Duyen each won three gold medals and Huyen grabbed two bronzes.
The national weightlifting team is currently training at National Sports Training Centers in Hanoi and Saigon after Tokyo 2020 Olympics qualifiers were postponed due to the Covid-19 outbreak.