The 12 Champions 11- Robert FAZEKAS from discus to caber

13 mai 2015

Robert FAZEKAS will represent Hungary at the IHGF Worlds in Bressuire, France.

Even if he became the IHGF amateur World champion two years ago in Germany, most people just know him as a discus-thrower with impressive results and also problems with drug-tests

Robert Fazekas: His ups and downs

2002: European champion

2003: Vice World champion in Paris

2004: disqualified after his gold medal at the Olympics in Athens

2008: Finished eighth at the Olympic Games in Beijing

2010: Bronze medal at the European Championship in Barcelona

2012: Disqualified two days before the Games in London for failing a drug test.

Francis BREBNER, the IHGF president who gave Robert FAZEKAS an invite for the Bressuire Worlds, accepted to tell us more about him.

"Robert comes from Hungary where he was born 40 years ago. He was only 12, when he started with throwing in the throwing school of Pal Nemeth.

First time he was a hammerthrower, then after changed the hammer with the discus.

He has an own company, which has to do with security.

He helps other young athletes in training and competiting.

He is a Hungarian champion in discus throwing (7x time) and a national record holder too: 71,70meters. He was European champion and a silver medalist on world championship.

Fazekas won the Olympic games in Athens in 2004 with 70,93 meters and that was an olympic record too."

An Olympic nightmare

In fact, his career which had begun like a real success-story turned into a nightmare.

2004 just was an "annus horribilis" for the champion from Hungary.

No more gold medal in Greece!

In fact, it was the beginning of the end, according to Wikipedia

"He was disqualified a few hours later for failing to provide a drug sample.

After two years ban from international competitions, Fazekas made a relatively good comeback by finishing in eighth position in the discus at the Beijing Olympics.

And two days before the 2012 Summer Olympics, Fazekas failed a drugs test. His B sample was also positive"

And that was the end of hos olympic career....

From Track and Field to Highland Games

So he started with the Scottish Highland Games in 2012, and won the world amateur highland games championship in Germany, in 2013.

Highland games: His personnal bests

Open stone: 13,70m 44'94
Braemar stone: 11,40m 37'40
Light hammer: 38,89m 127'59
Heavy hammer: 28,81m 94'52
LWFD: 26,06m 87'27
HWFD: 11,80m 38'71
Weight over the bar: 4,90m 16'07

His ambitions for the Worlds

Robert knows, that the American guys (Dan McKim and Matt Vincent) are very strong, but the goal for the World championship is to win the light weight for distance!

He competed in France years ago, so he knows, that people in France are very friendly, and the cities and castles are beautiful. It's a great pleasure for him to compete in France with the best throwers of the world!

Of course this controversial come-back raises a few questions and the blogger asked the IHGF their position on the invite of Robert FAZEKAS

Here are the answers given by IHGF Ryan VIERRA

IHGF and drugs

"The IHGF stand strong against drugs in our sport that's why we are the only organization that test all of our events."

IHGF and Robert FAZEKAS

"Robert made a mistake years ago and he paid the two year price for it. He is now cleared and legally allowed to compete."

IHGF and his invite for the Worlds

"IHGF position regarding Hungarian Robert Fazekas invite to the 2015 World Highland Games Championships held in Bressuier, France.
The IHGF has come to the conclusion that Robert Fazekas has met all criteria to compete at this years World Championships.

In 2013 Robert Fazekas, with his attorney, have provided the IHGF with the proper legal documents from WADA and the controlling organizations involved in his law suit, in which he was found cleard of all wrong doing."

IHGF "glad to welcome Robert"

"Robert Fazekas won the 2013 IHGF World Am Championships in Germany and was tested by the IHGF and was found cleared and allowed to receive his Professional invitation to compete at the 2015 World Highland Games Championships.

Robert Fazekas is a fantastic person and a great competitor, so we are delighted to welcome Robert to our sport."

A second chance in a new sport

The thrower from Hungary has already used the opportunity of a second chance in life to become an amateur World Champion.

That will be interesting to see if he can do the same among the professionnals!

So, wait and see...