Topic: News: The return of Leonidas Sabanis

[Chris Galakoutis]

http://www.hellenicathletes.com/news.php?news_id=124

The return of Leonidas Sabanis
HellenicAthletes.com Staff
Thursday, September 28 2006 11:24:13 AM



It has been more than 2 years since Greek weightlifter Leonidas Sabanis touched many a heart when pleading with his fellow Greeks to stand by his side, following the revelation that he had tested positive for the banned substance testosterone at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

"I want to tell the Greek people that I swear to God and to my two little angels (children) that I have never taken any such substances.  I want you all to believe me," said a crying Sabanis on national television.  He was subsequently stripped of his Olympic bronze medal.
Patrick Schamasch, the IOC medical director, did disclose that Sabanis had requested a therapeutic use exemption in advance due to an injection in his knee.  
   
Leonidas Sabanis
 

While the question was raised at the IOC as to whether this would have influenced the positive test result, the decision was made that it had not.  

Despite the trauma of Athens 2004 and subsequent 2 year suspension, he has always maintained that he is innocent.  Wanting to end his career on his terms, the twice world and European champion and two-time Olympic silver medalist has decided, at the age of 35, to make a comeback and leave the sport with his head held high.  

He will be the first to compete for the men this coming Sunday, October 1 in Santo Domingo at the IWF World Weightlifting Championships.  

"I have been training hard the last 3 months, but it has been difficult and I am not in the best form given the injustice I have had to live through," Sabanis told Contra.gr just prior to boarding his Santo Domingo bound flight this morning.   "However I will give it my best, as always," he said.

In terms of the sport's future in Greece, he said, "It is always difficult to rebuild a team that can match the great team of the 90's.  We have young athletes with talent, but alot of work is needed.  The federation, Mr. Iakovou and the coaches are working very hard with this goal in mind, so that we may have similar successes in the future."

Sabanis' Record:
 
European Championship 5/25/1995 7th
World Championship 11/17/1995 1st
European Championship 4/12/1996 1st
Olympic Games- Atlanta 7/20/1996 2nd
European Championship 5/19/1997 2nd
European Championship 4/28/1998 2nd
World Championship 11/9/1998 1st
European Championship 4/14/1999 2nd
World Championship 11/22/1999 2nd
Olympic Games- Sydney 9/15/2000 2nd
European Championship 4/24/2002 1st

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

The picture that went with this article:

[Adrian Cadmus-Dixon]

http://www.hellenicathletes.com/news.php?news_id=127

Leonidas Sabanis 11th overall at World Weightlifting Championships
HellenicAthletes.com Staff
Sunday, October 1 2006 5:12:30 PM



Leonidas Sabanis was unable to find the form that propelled him to world dominance of the men’s 62 kgs division for so many years.

Sabanis finished 11th overall in Santo Domingo today with a total combined lift of 280 kgs (616 lbs), although he might have finished much higher had nerves not got the best of him.  He missed his first two attempts in the snatch, but did manage to have a good 3rd lift at 130 kgs for 8th overall.

In the clean & jerk, he lifted 150 kgs on his 2nd attempt, but failed in his 3rd at 156 kgs after a technical error, finishing in 10th place in that category.

Final Results:

1-  Le Qiu    China  140 168 308
2-  Oscar Figueroa  Colombia 137 160 297
3-  Fernando Diego Salazar Colombia 131 164 295
4-  Manuel Minginfel  Micronesia 128 165 293
5-  Henadzi Makhveyenia  Belarus  130 160 290
6-  Rozales Adan Curbelo Cuba  127 162 289
7-  Hun-Min Ji   Korea  132 155 287
8-  Mohamed Abdel Baki  Egypt  131 155 286
9-  Triyatno   Indonesia 130 155 285
10- Vladimr Popov  Moldova  125 155 280
11- Leonidas Sabanis  Greece  130 150 280
12- Oleksiy Skvorodnyev  Ukraine  128 152 280