LAUSANNE, Switzerland -- Nine more athletes, including six medal winners, were retroactively disqualified from the 2008 Beijing Olympics on Wednesday after failing retests of their doping samples.The International Olympic Committee announced the decisions in the latest sanctions imposed on athletes whose stored samples came back positive after being retested with improved methods.Four athletes were stripped of silver medals and two of bronze medals in weightlifting, wrestling and womens steeplechase. All six athletes come from former Soviet countries -- Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan -- and all tested positive for steroids.The IOC stores doping samples for 10 years to allow them to be reanalyzed when enhanced techniques become available. The IOC recorded a total of 98 positive cases in recent resting of samples from Beijing and the 2012 London Olympics.Stripped of silver medals Wednesday were freestyle wrestlers Soslan Tigiev of Uzbekistan (66-74 kilogram division) and Taimuraz Tigiyev of Kazakhstan (84-96 kg) and weightlifters Olha Korobka of Ukraine (75 kg) and Andrei Rybakov of Belarus (85 kg).Its the second time Tigiev has been stripped of an Olympic medal for doping. He lost his bronze medal from the 74 kg event at the London Games after failing a drug test.The IOC stripped Beijing bronze medals on Wednesday from Russian steeplechaser Ekaterina Volkova and Belarusian weightlifter Anastasia Novikova (53 kg).The IOC asked the international weightlifting, wrestling and track and field federations to modify the Olympic results and consider any further sanctions against the athletes. Decisions on reallocating the medals have not been finalized.The IOC said all six medalists tested positive for the steroid turinabol. Rybakov and Novikova also tested positive for stanozolol. Both substances are traditional steroids with a history dating back decades. The new IOC tests used a technique that could detect the use of those drugs going back weeks and months, rather than just days.Also disqualified Wednesday were Cubas Wilfredo Martinez, who finished fifth in the mens long jump; Nigerian-born Spaniard Josephine Onyia, who was eliminated in the semifinals of the womens 100-meter hurdles; and weightlifter Sardar Hasanov of Azerbaijan, who competed but did not finish in the mens 62-kg division.The IOC said Hasanov tested positive for turinabol, Martinez for the diuretic and masking agent acetazolamide, and Onyia for the stimulant methylhexanamine.Last week, the IOC announced that Russian weightlifter Apti Aukhadov had been stripped of his silver medal from the London Olympics on Tuesday after testing positive for turinabol and drostanolone. Zack Wheeler Mets Jersey . 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Friday, September 23Cronulla Sharks ($2.20) vs North Queensland Cowboys ($1.70), Allianz Stadium at 7:55pmTeam news: The week off has been timely for Cronulla -- the Sharks naming both explosive forward Sam?Tagataese and captain Paul Gallen; the skippers back injury has seen him on light duties but he has declared himself a certain starter after missing the qualifying final in week one.Joseph Paulo will miss the game with a knee injury while Wade Graham should play but has been monitored since suffering concussion early in the win against Canberra.Cowboys forward Ethan Lowe has already been ruled out for the season and will undergo spinal surgery this week. Co-captain Matt Scott continues to nurse a back injury but has been named, while the premiers will be boosted by the return of centre Kane Linnett. Winger Antonio Winterstein has however been ruled out with his place taken by Javid Bowen.Key head-to-head: Jason Taumalolo vs Paul GallenThis clash will be a worth the price of admission alone and threatens to shake the very foundations of Allianz Stadium.Its the young bull in Jason Taumalolo against the old warhorse in Paul Gallen. The toughness of the Sharks veteran can never be questioned but Im not sure it will be enough to get the better of the Cowboys wrecking ball.Taumalolo credits Gallen as the player he idolises more than any other and both have racked up an average of more than 160 metres with the ball each game this season.This could possibly be Gallens last big chance to ice his glittering career with a premiership and it might just be possible if he can conquer Taumalolo on Friday night.Sharks:?1. Ben Barba 2. Sosaia Feki 3. Jack Bird 4. Ricky Leutele 5. Valentine Holmes 6. James Maloney 7. Chad Townsend 8. Andrew Fifita 9. Michael Ennis 10. Matt Prior 11. Luke Lewis 12. Wade Graham 13. Paul Gallen (c)?Interchange:?14. Gerard Beale 15. Chris Heighington 16. Kurt Capewell 17. Jason Bukuya 18. Sam TagataeseCowboys:?1. Lachlan Coote 2. Kyle Feldt 3. Justin ONeill 4. Kane Linnett 5. Javid Bowen 6. Michael Morgan 7. Johnathan Thurston (c) 8. Matt Scott (c) 9. Jake Granville 10. James Tamou 11. Gaviin Cooper 12.dddddddddddd. Coen Hess 13. Jason Taumalolo Interchange: 14. Rory Kostjasyn 15. John Asiata 16. Scott Bolton 17. Ben HannantKey Stats:?The Cowboys eliminated the Sharks from last years finals series with a 39-0 beltingThe Sharks have a 51 percent winning record at Allianz Stadium but have won their last four there?The Cowboys have won just six of 21 at Allianz Stadium, havent won there since 2010 and lost their only clash against the Sharks at the venueUBET verdict:?$2.20 Sharks, $1.70 CowboysOne of the rare occasions where the side who had the week off (Cronulla) are at home in Week 3 of the finals and find themselves as the outsiders. The Sharks have only won four of their last 11 matches against the Cowboys, but they are a much better side this season. The Cowboys put in another wonderful performance last week in their win over Brisbane, with JT the catalyst behind that. Many think that game, and extra time played, may well have sapped the energy out of the Cowboys for this week. Interesting comments, but punters have brushed that aside as North Queensland go in as favourites.Weather:?Partly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of a morning shower and a temperature of 17 degrees at kick-off.Prediction:?A preliminary final isnt exactly unfamiliar territory for Cronulla but they are unfamiliar with winning them. The Sharks have lost at this stage of the finals on six previous occasions since their last grand final appearance in 1978.?The Sharks are a better side than the team that were thumped 39-0 by the Cowboys in last years finals series, but I am not certain they have improved enough to exact revenge on the reigning premiers.I believe North Queensland have too many weapons, too much big game experience and they also have the two JTs -- in my opinion Johnathan Thurston is the best back in the world and Jason Taumalolo is the best forward in the world and that alone makes it too hard to tip against the Cowboys.Tip: Cowboys by 8Enter your ESPNfootytips NRL selections ' ' '