As reported on insidethegames on Monday (June 10), In a rare case of an athlete publicly acknowledging a doping offence, Shuklin admitted he had been informed a sample he had provided at the 2012 Olympics had contained a prohibited substance.

This was confirmed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) today, who said the 33-year-old had been disqualified.

The IOC revealed that re-analysis of Shuklin’s samples from London 2012 had resulted in a positive test for prohibited anabolic steroid dehydrochlormethyltestosterone.

Shuklin competed in the men’s canoe sprint C1 200 metres.

Russia's Ivan Shtyl is set to be promoted from bronze to silver and Spain's Alfonso Benavides from fourth to bronze. 

The race was won by Ukraine's Yuriy Cheban, who retained his title at Rio 2016. 

Suspicions surrounding the four-times World Championships medallist and three-times European champion emerged in February when he was reportedly told in a letter that he had tested positive.

In an interview with Lithuanian station LRT televizija in February, he categorically denied he had used performance-enhancing drugs during his career.

"I have to say that I never used prohibited products, sport is a personal challenge to prove to myself that I can achieve something," Shuklin said. 

"I have always worked with doping controllers, I have not received any warnings, so I am 100 per cent convinced.

"Before the Olympics, I refused to take any supplements that I usually used and I have never used drugs.

In its last update, the IOC said 66 athletes had either failed a test at London 2012 or been caught retrospectively in retests, but the actual number of positive cases affecting results at those Games is now nearly 130.