Seven Egyptian weightlifters, including two 14-year-old girls, have tested positive for banned substances, putting not only Egyptian weightlifting in jeopardy of being banned but also threatening the future of weightlifting in the Olympics.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) recently sent the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) a harsh message to fix the doping issues in weightlifting or face the possibility of being removed from the Olympics in 2024. After the IOC cut the weightlifting spots in the 2020 Olympics by 25%, the IWF responded by putting together a new and aggressive anti-doping task force to help calm down the IOC and put weightlifting back on the right track.

Weightlifting had nearly 50 positive doping results from the 2008 and 2012 Olympic retests, prompting the IOC's warnings and actions against the IWF. 

Egyptian Weightlifting had a successful showing at the 2016 Olympics with bronze medals out of Sara Ahmed, pictured above and not one of the athletes accused of doping, (W69) and Mohamed Ehab (M77), but the details and timing of these recent positive doping results could put Egyptian Weightlifting's immediate future in question. Of the seven Egyptians popped, two were 14-year-old girls, three were teenage boys, and two were African Junior Championship gold medalists in the men's 77kg division (Ahmed Emad Gouda) and the women's 75kg division (Alla Yasser Zaki).

According to Inside The Games, Egypt has launched an internal investigation because they believe the athletes may have been deliberately sabotaged by a disgruntled athlete, coach, or official. Due to the timing of this news, it's possible the IWF will make an example of Egypt with a two or even three year ban, the latter of which would disqualify Egypt from the 2020 Olympic Games.