(1971-10-01) October 1, 1971 (age 52) Varna, Bulgaria
Medal record
Women’s Weightlifting
Representing Bulgaria
Summer Olympic Games
Disqualified
2000 Sydney
– 48kg
World Championships
1991 Donaueschingen
– 48 kg
1992 Varna
– 48 kg
1994 Istanbul
– 50 kg
1995 Guangzhou
– 50 kg
1997 Chiang Mai
– 50 kg
1998 Lahti
– 53 kg
2002 Warsaw
– 48 kg
European Championships
1991 Varna
– 48 kg
1994 Rome
– 50 kg
1996 Prague
– 50 kg
1997 Sevilla
– 50 kg
1998 Riesa
– 53 kg
1999 La Coruña
– 53 kg
2000 Sofia
– 53 kg
2003 Loutraki
– 53 kg
2004 Kiev
– 48 kg
Izabela Dragneva-Rifatova (Bulgarian: Изабела Драгнева-Рифатова; born October 1, 1971, in Varna) is a retired weightlifter from Bulgaria, who is best known for being the first female weightlifter to be stripped of her medal and results and disqualified from an Olympic games for cheating.[1] She twice competed for her native country at the Summer Olympics: 2000 (the first year women's weightlifting was contested as an Olympic sport) and 2004. She won the silver medal in the women's – 53 kg division at the 1998 World Weightlifting Championships in Lahti.
Dragneva competed in the 48 kg category at the 2000 Summer Olympics where she originally won the gold medal.[1] She was stripped of her gold medal three days later after she tested positive for the banned diuretic furosemide.
Also, because multiple Bulgarian weightlifters tested positive in previous Olympic competitions, the entire Bulgarian weightlifting team was disqualified and sent home from the Games.[2][1] The IWF cited their 'Three Strikes' rule for the disassociation.[1]
Dragneva's disqualification meant that American Tara Nott was awarded the gold medal in the 48 kg class.
^ abcd"BBC SPORT | OTHER SPORTS | Bulgarian lifters sent home". news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2019-07-10.
^"Olympic Doping". www.cbsnews.com. 13 August 2004. Retrieved 2019-07-10.
IzabelaDragneva-Rifatova (Bulgarian: Изабела Драгнева-Рифатова; born October 1, 1971, in Varna) is a retired weightlifter from Bulgaria, who is best known...
ever to win Olympic gold. The original gold medal winner, Bulgaria's IzabelaDragneva, was stripped of her gold after testing positive for furosemide, and...
Huang Xiaoyu (CHN) 1989: Huang Xiaoyu (CHN) 1990: Cai Jun (CHN) 1991: IzabelaDragneva (BUL) 1992: Liu Xiuhua (CHN) 1993: Liu Xiuhua (CHN) 1994: Robin Goad...
Huang Xiaoyu (CHN) 1989: Huang Xiaoyu (CHN) 1990: Cai Jun (CHN) 1991: IzabelaDragneva (BUL) 1992: Liu Xiuhua (CHN) 1993: Liu Xiuhua (CHN) 1994: Robin Goad...
Turkey 87.5 kg IzabelaDragneva Bulgaria 82.5 kg Clean & Jerk Wang Mingjuan China 115.5 kg WR Nurcan Taylan Turkey 105.0 kg IzabelaDragneva Bulgaria 100...
medal, but was disqualified after testing positive for stanozolol. d IzabelaDragneva of Bulgaria originally won the gold medal, but was disqualified after...
Huang Xiaoyu (CHN) 1989: Huang Xiaoyu (CHN) 1990: Cai Jun (CHN) 1991: IzabelaDragneva (BUL) 1992: Liu Xiuhua (CHN) 1993: Liu Xiuhua (CHN) 1994: Robin Goad...
details Donka Mincheva Eva Giganti Olena Zinovyeva – 53 kg details IzabelaDragneva Estefania Juan Siyka Stoyeva – 58 kg details Neli Yankova Aleksandra...
48 kg details Donka Mincheva Siyka Stoyeva Gema Peris – 53 kg details IzabelaDragneva Estefania Juan Rebeca Sires – 58 kg details Neli Simova Ingrid Fevre...
Huang Xiaoyu (CHN) 1989: Huang Xiaoyu (CHN) 1990: Cai Jun (CHN) 1991: IzabelaDragneva (BUL) 1992: Liu Xiuhua (CHN) 1993: Liu Xiuhua (CHN) 1994: Robin Goad...
medal but was disqualified after he tested positive for furosemide. IzabelaDragneva originally won the gold medal but was disqualified after she tested...
0 kg IzabelaDragneva Bulgaria 82.5 kg Winarni Binti Slamet Indonesia 80.0 kg Clean & Jerk Winarni Binti Slamet Indonesia 105.0 kg IzabelaDragneva Bulgaria...
-53 kg Snatch 93 kg IzabelaDragneva 15 April 2003 European Championships Loutraki, Greece Clean and jerk 113 kg IzabelaDragneva 15 April 2003 European...
Huang Xiaoyu (CHN) 1989: Huang Xiaoyu (CHN) 1990: Cai Jun (CHN) 1991: IzabelaDragneva (BUL) 1992: Liu Xiuhua (CHN) 1993: Liu Xiuhua (CHN) 1994: Robin Goad...
Silver Bronze 48 kg (details) Snatch Wang Mingjuan China 90.0 kg IzabelaDragneva Bulgaria 85.0 kg Nurcan Taylan Turkey 85.0 kg Clean & Jerk Wang Mingjuan...
Huang Xiaoyu (CHN) 1989: Huang Xiaoyu (CHN) 1990: Cai Jun (CHN) 1991: IzabelaDragneva (BUL) 1992: Liu Xiuhua (CHN) 1993: Liu Xiuhua (CHN) 1994: Robin Goad...
1998 Riesa IzabelaDragneva Dagmar Deneková Anna Stroubou 1999 A Coruña IzabelaDragneva Estefanía Juan Rebeca Sires 2000 Sofia IzabelaDragneva Estefanía...
Huang Xiaoyu (CHN) 1989: Huang Xiaoyu (CHN) 1990: Cai Jun (CHN) 1991: IzabelaDragneva (BUL) 1992: Liu Xiuhua (CHN) 1993: Liu Xiuhua (CHN) 1994: Robin Goad...
Global Information
