Greek Olympic weightlifting coach Christos Iakovou was suspended after the preliminary doping tests of 11 athletes were revealed. (Associated Press)

The backup doping samples of 11 Greek weightlifters showed steroid use, making it improbable Greece will send a weightlifting team to the Beijing Olympics.

Laboratory results in Cologne, Germany, confirmed the results of prefatory tests that showed the neighborhood of methyltrienolone, a senior Greek judicial official through knowledge of the exploration told the Associated Press on Friday. He spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing.

Officials at Greece’s weightlifting federation said Friday they had not received functionary information of the B test results and declined to comment.

Greek Olympic weightlifting coach Christos Iakovou was suspended after the preliminary doping tests were revealed. At the time, Greek Sports Minister Yiannis Ioannidis said the weightlifters’ participation at the Beijing Olympics was unlikely.

Iakovou blamed the positive drug tests on a faulty batch of dietary supplements sent from Auspure Biotechnology, which is based in Shanghai, China. Iakovou’s counsel released an e-mail from the company apologizing for material a mistake.

Iakovou, 60, is one of Greece’s most successful coaches, by his lifters delightful 12 Olympic medals — five gold — since the 1992 Barcelona Games.

The out-of-competition tests were conducted in Athens on March 7.

The names of the male and pistil-bearing athletes — 11 of the national team’s 14 members — have not been announced pending the issue of the forensic inquiry or possible sanctions close up to them by sports authorities.

Ten of the athletes accused of doping have backed Iakovou, but one female weightlifter threatened to take legal action against anyone found responsible concerning giving her steroids, allegedly in the absence of her knowledge.

On Friday, her lawyer said he had submitted a medical report into ground of belief during the time that faction of the doping investigation.

“This [report] brings a new criminal development to the put in a box,” lawyer Alexis Kouyias said.

“Athletes who win under the influence of chemicals no other than score a hollow victory, because a few years later their actions will lead them to the hospital or to the morgue.”