Valentin Hristov (weightlifter, born 1956)

Valentin Hristov (Bulgarian: Валентин Христов, born 16 March 1956) is a retired Bulgarian heavyweight weightlifter. He is best known for being the first weightlifter to be disqualified from the modern Olympic Games for doping after anabolic steroid testing was introduced at the 1976 Games.^[1] He later went on to claim the silver at the 1980 Olympics. Hristov won the world and European titles in 1975 and 1977 and placed second in 1979.^[2] In 1975–76 he set nine ratified world records: three in the snatch, four in the clean and jerk and two in the total.^[3]

Valentin Hristov

Hristov (left) at the 1980 Olympics
Personal information
Born	16 March 1956 (1956-03-16) (age 68) Pernik, Bulgaria
Height	179 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight	107 kg (236 lb)
Sport
Sport	Weightlifting
Medal record Representing  Bulgaria Men's weightlifting Olympic Games Disqualified 1976 Montreal 110 kg 1980 Moscow 110 kg World championships 1975 Moscow 110 kg 1977 Stuttgart 110 kg 1979 Thessaloniki 110 kg 1980 Moscow 110 kg European championships 1974 Verona 110 kg 1975 Moscow 110 kg 1976 Berlin 110 kg 1977 Stuttgart 110 kg 1980 Belgrade 110 kg

Hristov originally won the gold medal at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal for Bulgaria but had the medal stripped and title revoked after testing positive for an undisclosed anabolic steroid.^[1] This was before the IOC had banned those who cheated from future Olympic Games by testing positive for the use of PEDs, and the Bulgarian returned to claim the silver medal in 1980.

References

1. "Doping cases at Summer Games since 1968". www.chinadaily.com.cn. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
2. "Valentin Khristov". www.sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
3. Valentin Khristov. chidlovski.net