sad news....
Olympic weightlifting champion arrested boarding plane with cocaine
• Galabin Boevski had 9kg of drug in baggage
• Former athlete faces up to 15 years in jail
Reuters
guardian.co.uk, Thursday 27 October 2011 16.58 BST
Article history
Bulgaria's
Galabin Boevski shows off his gold medal in the men's weightlifting 69kg division at the Sydney Olympic Games. Photograph: Oleg Popov/Reuters
Galabin Boevski, an
Olympic gold medallist, was arrested at Săo Paulo's international airport after trying to board a plane bound for Spain with 9kg of cocaine, Bulgaria's foreign ministry said on Thursday.
Boevski, who won lightweight gold at the Sydney Games in 2000, was stopped by Brazilian anti-drugs officers on Monday and the cocaine was found in his luggage. He faces up to
15 years in jail.Boevski was banned for eight years for doping by the International Weightlifting Federation in 2004 after tampering with his urine sample at the 2003 world championships.
It was the second time he had committed a doping office since 1995. The Bulgarian, 37 in December, also won gold at the world championships in 1999 and 2001, and at the European championships in 1999, 2002 and 2003.
He was named Bulgaria's athlete of the year in 1999, 2000 and 2001.
