Monday 13 August 2012

Nigeria awarded 4x400M relay Gold Medal after US disqualified


Nigeria may have fumbled in the London 2012 Olympics, but the nation have a new reason to be compensated perhaps, as the Sydney 2000 International Olympic Committee (IOC) awarded Nigeria with the men’s 4x400m relay gold medal.

The United States, who were the original winners of the gold, were disqualified because a member of their team – Antonio Pettigrew, confessed to taking performance enhancing drugs during the Games. However, Pettigrew was found dead in his car in 2010. Though there were no confirmations for cause of death then, an autopsy report later ruled it as suicide by overdosing on a drug used in sleeping pills.

The Executive Board disqualified Pettigrew since August 2008 but delayed making a final decision on reallocating medals till all investigations on an American doping scandal were complete. The Nigerian team, who originally finished second, was now awarded gold while the Jamaican and Bahamas team who came third and fourth, were given the silver and bronze medals respectively.

Source: news2.onlinenigeria.com

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