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Gold medalist DQed for doping

Matt ZuvelaAugust 13, 2012

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that Belarus’s Nadzeya Ostapchuk, who won the shot put competition in London, will be stripped of her gold medal following a positive doping test.

https://p.dw.com/p/15oeW
Belarus' Nadzeya Ostapchuk takes a throw in the women's shot put final during the athletics in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, Monday, Aug. 6, 2012. (Foto:Matt Dunham/AP/dapd)
Image: dapd

In a statement on the organization's website on Monday, the IOC revealed that two urine samples provided by Ostapchuk had tested positive for the presence of metenolone, which is classified as a banned anabolic agent.

According to the IOC, one sample was taken on August 5, the day before the shot put final, and the other right after Ostapchuk had finished competing in the final.

As a result of the positive tests, Ostapchuk has been disqualified from the shot put event, "excluded" from the London 2012 Olympics, and will have her gold medal withdrawn.

New Zealand's Valerie Adams holds her silver medal in the women's shot put victory ceremony during the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium August 6, 2012. REUTERS/Eddie Keogh (BRITAIN - Tags: SPORT OLYMPICS SPORT ATHLETICS)
Adams has now defended her title and can upgrade to goldImage: Reuters

The medals will be redistributed among the three athletes that finished behind Ostapchuk. New Zealand's Valerie Adams, who was initially awarded the silver medal, will now receive gold, meaning she successfully defended her shot put gold medal from the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

Russia's Evgeniia Kolodko now moves into second, and Lijiao Gong of China - who had finished outside the medals - will get bronze.

Ostapchuk could face further disciplinary measures from the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), which could include a ban from competition.