North Korea will allow anti-doping officials to enter the country after a nearly four-year hiatus in order to protect its future in weightlifting, its most successful Olympic sport.

The decision, confirmed in person by DPRK team officials at the Hangzhou Asian Games in China last week, is effective immediately. 

The move comes as the International Testing Agency (ITA), which carries out anti-doping procedures for several sports, including weightlifting, has apparently started work on devising more robust testing.

Allowing independent testing of its athletes was the only way the DPRK could continue participating in competitions organized by the International Weightlifting Federation