Light-Heavyweight (≤82½ kilograms), Men

This event was expected to be contested between Valery Shary (URS) and Trendafil Stoychev (BUL), the last two World Champions, and the chalk came through, although it took doping controls to establish the final podium. Shary and Stoychev tied with 162.5 kg in the snatch, also equalled by Stoychev’s teammate Blagoy Blagoev. When Shary lifted 202.5 kg in the clean & jerk the gold medal was his, followed by Blagoev, who jerked 200.0 kg, and Stoychev, who managed 197.5 kg. However, Blagoev was then disqualified for an unannounced anabolic steroid detected in his doping test, moving Stoychev up to the silver medal, and brought Hungary’s Péter Baczako the bronze medal. At Moskva in 1980, Blagoev would win the silver medal in this class. Baczako would move up in weight and win the gold medal in 1980 as a middle-heavyweight.