Beijing 2008 weightlifting medallists fail doping sample retests

Three Olympic champion weightlifters from China and eight other medallists stand to be stripped of their titles after failing doping sample retests from the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The 11 individuals tested positive for a range of banned substances, according to the International Weightlifting Federation.

Among those to fail are gold medallists Cao Lei, Liu Chunhong and Chen Xiexia.

The other eight medallists to test positive are from Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Ukraine.

Four other weightlifters from Beijing 2008, who did not win medals, also failed retests.

All have been provisionally suspended until the cases are resolved.