Doping-Former international weightlifting heads banned for life over ITA charges

FILE PHOTO: International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) President Tamas Ajan of Hungary speaks during a news conference at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games August 15, 2008. REUTERS/Yves Herman (CHINA)

(Reuters) - Tamas Ajan, the former head of the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF), and Nicu Vlad, the IWF's former vice-president have been banned from the sport for life for covering up doping offences, the International Testing Agency (ITA) said on Thursday.

Hungarian Ajan, who has denied wrongdoing, and Romanian Vlad were charged with "complicity and tampering" in regard to doping offences by the ITA in June last year.