However, his career was not without its difficulties. At one critical point, he tested positive for boldenone, which resulted in a four-year suspension. In his defence, the athlete said that he had never consumed the substance in his life, apparently it came from eating meat.
“I don’t know if they changed the samples, if they contaminated them, but it is clear that those tests were manipulated, mine and those of other athletes,” he said.
This setback led to him facing depression issues, but Lopez recovered and returned to the sport with more determination, winning a world record snatch in April 2024 at the World Cup in Thailand.
At the 2023 National Games, Valle del Cauca had an outstanding performance, becoming champion of the event. This result not only allowed them to secure first place in the medal table, but also made them the most successful department in the competition, surpassing Antioquia, which took second place with 407 medals in total (141 gold, 119 silver and 147 bronze).
The competition was held in several cities in the Coffee Region, including Manizales, Pereira and Armenia, and was notable for the participation of 7,889 athletes from 33 delegations. Valle del Cauca dominated in various disciplines, with the most notable being underwater activities, weightlifting, athletics, hapkido and wrestling, where it accumulated the most medals.